BTS’s long-awaited return to American late-night television was supposed to be a joyous occasion. And it still was — but not before a joke from The Tonight Show‘s warm-up comedian threw a shadow over proceedings and sent ARMY into full-scale fury mode on social media
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Seth Herzog & the BTS Controversy
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Who | Seth Herzog, warm-up MC |
| Show | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |
| Incident Date | March 25, 2026 |
| The Joke | “Anybody here from the North? No? Nobody?” |
| Context | Standard crowd-work “Where are you from?” bit |
| How It Was Taken | As a North Korea reference targeting BTS |
| Outcome | Herzog apologised; NBC spoke to him |
| Replacement | Ryan Reiss (Late Night with Seth Meyers) |
| BTS Appearance | Two nights — ARIRANG promotion + Guggenheim performance |
Who Is Seth Herzog?
Seth Herzog is a New York-based performer who has been associated with The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since 2009, after earlier work on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey, grew up in Princeton, and earned a degree in history and theatre from Rhodes College. NBC News
Over 25 years in the New York City stand-up scene, Herzog built his career with appearances on Best Week Ever, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Chappelle’s Show, and several film roles, before earning his long-running warm-up role with Fallon. CNN He’s a behind-the-scenes fixture most viewers never see — until now.
What Happened?
During the special on-location taping at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Herzog delivered what he intended as a variation of the classic “Tell me where you’re from” crowd-work bit, asking: “Anybody here from the North? No? Nobody?” — but BTS fans in the audience felt it was a purposeful dig, referencing North Korea. Variety
The backlash was immediate and fierce. Fans flooded The Tonight Show‘s promotional post on X, with one writing: “He made a seriously unfunny joke insinuating that one of the members was North Korean. Please address this before the show goes live tonight.”
The criticism stings even more given real context — as BTS member RM has previously noted that when the group first debuted, people regularly asked whether they were from North or South Korea, which the band has described as a frustrating and reductive experience.
Herzog was subsequently replaced for the second taping by comedian Ryan Reiss. According to TMZ, Herzog apologised directly to BTS, and NBC spoke to him about the incident. NPR
BTS’s Historic Tonight Show Return
BTS’s two-night Tonight Show appearance marked their first U.S. late-night visit as a full group since completing mandatory military service in South Korea. On Wednesday night, the group performed their comeback single SWIM and promoted their new album ARIRANG — with a second night of Guggenheim performances still to come. Deadline
Despite the controversy, ARMY showed up in full force to celebrate the reunion. Follow all BTS and K-pop updates at TechnoSports.
FAQs
Q: What joke did Seth Herzog make about BTS?
Herzog asked the audience, “Anybody here from the North? No? Nobody?” — intended as a crowd-work bit, but widely interpreted by BTS fans as a pointed North Korea reference directed at the South Korean group. The Hollywood Reporter
Q: Did Seth Herzog apologise to BTS?
Yes — Herzog apologised directly to BTS after the backlash, and NBC is said to have spoken with him about the incident. He was also replaced for the second taping by comedian Ryan Reiss.
