Is it okay to publish a fic from a (as of current) controversial group?
Hi everyone! I’m not sure if I used the correct flair, but as the title suggests, I’m wondering if it’s okay to publish a fic for a group that’s currently facing a lot of controversy.
For context, I’m nearly finished writing a RIIZE fanfic that features all the members. I’m incredibly proud of this work because it’s the first multi-chaptered story I’ve actually committed to completing. My plan was to publish it on both AO3 and Wattpad and do some promotion, as I was really hoping for the work to be recognized.
I was so focused on writing that I decided to take a short break when I was only a few chapters away from the end. That’s when the whole RIIZE fiasco happened—the Eunseok Bubble messages, the Sungchan playlist, and Anton and Shotaro playing Charlie Brown songs, all within the span of a few days.
As a fan, I was really hurt by their actions. But then I remembered I have this nearly finished fic sitting there, and now I’m in a total dilemma.
Should I change the characters to a different boy group? Should I just shelve the fic in the basement indefinitely? Or should I go ahead and publish it anyway?
I’ve put so much heart and soul into this, but I don't want to be tone-deaf or cause issues. I would love to hear your opinions and see what you all think!