A US morning radio show’s apology for calling NCT 127 a “random group of Asian guys” has left fans up in arms over what many saw as “sarcastic” and “condescending” remarks.

The controversy began after the hosts on the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show introduced “Let’s Shut Up & Dance” by Jason Derulo, featuring NCT 127 and Lay, on 106.1 KISS-FM in Dallas on Friday.

(S.M. Entertainment)

During the segment, the boy band was confused with BTS before one host realized and asked, “It was just a group of Asian guys dancing?” To which another host responded, “We just got excited for nothing.”

Following criticism, the show issued a statement Tuesday via Twitter saying that it was unprofessional on their part to call the group a “random group of Asian guys dancing.”

It is unclear whether the hosts used the word “random” while on air.

The apology, however, has not gone down well on Twitter, after one paragraph compared the group to Western pop stars like Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift.

“Again, we’re sorry and look forward to the day when every person on Earth knows NCT and Lay in a way that they know Ari, Taylor and Justin.”

In response, one of the top tweets read, “Was the last paragraph that necessary?”

Sounding frustrated, one fan echoed a similar sentiment, writing, “No sincerity in this apology. Your last paragraph was completely unnecessary and sarcastic.”

Another wrote, “The last paragraph is the most insincere and condescending way you could’ve ended this tragedy that you call an apology.”

(Twitter)

(Twitter)

One user thought the statement was West-centric.

“They just love to put western particularly North American artists on a pedestal, a standard for success for artists ‘around the world.’”

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)