Fans of South Korean boy group NCT have criticised SM Entertainment after member Jisung appeared to have six fingers in an official promotional image.
The controversy erupted after SM Entertainment released teaser photos for the group’s upcoming 10th anniversary pop-up event titled “NCT 10TH ANNIVERSARY [NCT 2026] POP UP : NEO GROUND”, which is scheduled to run from May 15 to May 23.
Sharp-eyed fans quickly noticed an apparent editing mistake in one of Jisung’s promotional photos, where his hand appeared to contain six fingers instead of five.
The image rapidly spread across social media and Korean online forums, triggering criticism from fans who accused the company of carelessly using artificial intelligence or poorly edited photo enhancement tools.
Following the backlash, SM Entertainment quietly replaced the image with a cropped version, although the company did not release any official explanation or apology regarding the error.
Many fans expressed disappointment over what they described as a lack of professionalism, especially for a major anniversary project celebrating NCT’s 10th year since debuting in 2016.
Online reactions included comments questioning whether the company relied on AI editing without properly checking the final results before publishing the images.
Some netizens also argued that idol promotional photos should not be heavily altered using AI technology, saying such editing reduces the authenticity of artists and makes them appear closer to virtual characters than real performers.
Others criticised the company for allegedly prioritising profits while showing little effort or sincerity in handling promotional materials for fans.
The incident has since reignited wider discussions online about the increasing use of AI-generated editing tools in the entertainment industry and the mistakes that can occur when content is not properly reviewed before release.
