"He Is Asian Himself" Japanese YouTuber Faces Racism Backlash for Mocking K-Pop Idol's Eye Gesture

[Financial News] A famous Japanese influencer has sparked controversy after being caught making a racist gesture, known as the so-called “slant-eye” motion, while imitating Ateez member San’s challenge.
The person at the center of the controversy is Japanese influencer Gamix. He rose to fame after a video of him screaming during the 2026 FIFA World Cup match between Brazil and Japan went viral on social networking service platforms.
On the 20th, Gamix posted a video on his social media account showing him taking part in Ateez’s trending “BAD” challenge. San had previously performed part of the “BAD” choreography after taking the ceremonial kickoff at the 2026 Coupang Play Series match between Manchester City F.C. and Atlético Madrid on the 9th, and the challenge later spread across social media as fans began copying it.
The problem was that while Gamix was wearing Atlético Madrid’s red-and-white striped jersey and imitating San, he brought both index fingers up to his eyes and pulled the outer corners outward.
The so-called “slant-eye” gesture, in which someone pulls the corners of the eyes with their fingers, is a well-known racist expression used to mock East Asian features. Since Gamix is also Asian, many said they could not understand his behavior.
Comments criticizing him followed, including: “An Asian insulting another Asian is just spitting in his own face,” “Does he think he is European or American?,” and “Has he mistaken his nationality?”
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter