Can Black Lives Matter Teach Kpop to be Better?

By Joyce Wang

Disclaimers:

1. I do not hate any Kpop groups that I bring up or mention in this piece. In fact I don’t dislike any group period. One of the groups I will mention is actually my fave.

2. I have only been a fan for about a year or so but thanks to the accessibility of the internet I’m not a hermit when it comes to discussing the issues in the industry. Still, I acknowledge I do not know everything. That being said, these claims are my own and were derived from my experiences as a fan. I am not trying to diminish my own views but there will definitely be aspects to the discussion that I have not touched upon.

3. I also acknowledge fandom toxicity exists and that it reinforces many problematic views within the Kpop community as a whole, but I won’t be discussing fandom culture here- otherwise this will turn into a research article.

Our world has grown increasingly international and interconnected in recent decades with regards to science, technology, and politics, and the same can be said about our tastes in music. Years ago, it would never have been fathomed that English-speaking citizens, for instance, would vibe with songs produced in completely different languages or even care about performers who live halfway across the globe.

A lot of that has changed, however, and the popularity of Kpop showcases this phenomenon well. In its most basic definition, Kpop is simply “Korean pop music”. But as Korean groups continue to penetrate and diversify the global music sphere, the word “Kpop” has come to represent more than just the music. Korean performers and idols exert a profound influence on their fans in commercial and even ideological means. Some idols have the power to sell out the very items they touch, simply because their fans are willing to buy out said items. Other idols have the ability to raise awareness of certain issues by addressing it on social media, thus causing a trickle-down cascade and dissemination of knowledge throughout their fandoms. In this sense, Kpop is a movement, and a global one at that. This concept can be summed up as the “Hallyu wave”, whereby aspects of Korean culture spread around the world.

One cannot deny the rapid surge seen in the popularity of Kpop in the last several years. About a decade ago, it was first introduced to the US through groups such as BigBang and Girls’ Generation. In 2012, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” gave Western audiences a very niche glimpse into contemporary Korean music. Later, in 2017, boy group BTS fully piqued Western interests in Kpop after two of their songs made it onto the Billboard Hot 100.

The Kpop industry hasn’t looked back since. Many idols and groups have followed BTS’s lead in branching into global markets. Every summer (up until quarantine) has seen countless Kpop groups touring the world and performing at sold-out venues. Kpop groups consistently rank as some of the most-mentioned musicians on Twitter. Countless groups have signed contracts with American record labels in addition to Korean, and some have even released original music in English to better appeal and express their love to Western fans (take Monsta X’s album All About Luv, for example).

Needless to say, Kpop for sure has gone global.

But for an industry that prides itself on the ability to appeal to fans from diverse backgrounds, Kpop still suffers from systemic issues of cultural insensitivity and ignorance. The most blatant transgressions can be seen in the repeated acts of cultural appropriation, particularly towards black and APIDA cultures. And while most artists certainly do not mean to be offensive towards the cultures they appropriate, their actions nonetheless come off to be the opposite.

It cannot be denied that hip hop and black artists have played a large role in shaping the Kpop sphere. Kpop has stylistic origins in many genres including jazz and hip hop. The biggest idol rappers in the industry have cited black artists as great influences on their music and overall “vibe”, and some groups even debut with the intent of promoting as a Korean hip hop group. Furthermore, elements of hip hop and street dance styles are evident in some Kpop choreographies.

However, many idols and their creative teams have incorporated elements of black culture into their concepts simply for the aesthetics or to look cool and some have made insensitive remarks on public broadcasts. SM Entertainment, for example, is notorious for incorporating stylistic elements unique to the black community into its performers’ appearances. In 2017, members from two of the agency’s boy groups NCT 127 and EXO appeared in dreads for their singles “Limitless” and “Ko Ko Bop”. The groups faced considerable backlash over this. What’s more infuriating was the fact that SM Entertainment transgressed this issue again in 2019 by standing idly by as members of its younger boy group NCT Dream sported cornrows (or as they jokingly called it, “octopus hair”) for promotions of their song “Boom”. Similar acts of appropriation of black cultures through hairstyles, clothing, and even offensive impersonations of the “blaccent” have occurred not just within groups managed by SM Entertainment, but by idols signed to countless other entertainment companies. Some idols have gone so far as to don blackface but claim ignorance of the significance of their actions! The list goes on and on.

The overarching idea is that black cultural elements have been taken for granted by the industry, having been flaunted only for visual appeal without regard for their social history and implications. When black culture is not used as an aesthetic or a vibe, it is used as the butt of a joke. This disregards the experiences black people around the world have faced at the hands of oppression and discriminatory policies, diminishing them down to either a funny or a “cool” image.

Another interesting discussion is the appropriation of other East Asian cultures by the Korean music industry. While I do not consider this to be as widespread as the appropriation of black culture, as a Chinese-American I still believe this is a topic that should be kept in mind. This is most commonly seen in the use of Chinese characters, or hanzi, to promote Korean songs, examples being Agust D’s “Daechwita”, NCT 127 “Kick It”, and Monsta X’s unreleased “Sambakja”. What purpose do the Chinese characters serve if not for aesthetics? Considering that Kpop up until recently has been largely banned in China, the hanzi could not have possibly been used to promote to a large portion of Chinese-speaking audiences. The use of Chinese characters in order to promote Kpop songs in a “cool” or “edgy” manner is awkward to me and demands some scrutiny.

“Kick It” actually presents an interesting case study. The song was released this year and was intended to be an inspirational tale about overcoming one’s struggles, much like a fighter wins in battle. To that end, multiple references to Bruce Lee and martial arts are made in the lyrics, outfits, and choreography and the music video itself is situated in a moody “Neo Oriental” (in the words of SM Entertainment) atmosphere. In citing Bruce Lee as their inspiration, it is clear that the members of NCT 127 intended to honor his image. However, it is interesting to note that none of the current members are Chinese. Additionally, the Chinese name of the song (英雄, meaning “hero”), which is plastered over the music video, does not translate into the English name “Kick It”. And while the Chinese architecture, martial arts moves, and other motifs may play into the song’s story, it all warrants the question of what line must be crossed in order to go from cultural appreciation to appropriation.

Personally, I felt “Kick It” ran the risk of glamorizing Chinese culture as a cacophony of martial arts moves, dragons on the walls, orientalism, and cool costumes. I recall watching the music video and wondering if releasing a Chinese-themed song was the right step for a Korean boy group. Another point to consider is the notorious history NCT’s agency, SM Entertainment, has had with mistreatment of its Chinese Kpop idols. Infamously, the three Chinese members of EXO left the agency after filing lawsuits alleging that they were not treated with the same respect and professionalism as their Korean colleagues. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, NCT 127’s lineup previously included a Chinese member who was mysteriously pulled from the group and paired with several other Chinese trainees to debut a Chinese-only subunit called WayV. Said member was personally scouted multiple times by SM before joining as a trainee, which ironically does not compare to the mistreatment he has received in addition to his unceremonious removal from his group.

These points suggest that SM Entertainment values having Chinese faces amongst its groups but has little regard in comparison for their well-being or for respecting Chinese culture. Whereas Chinese visuals are heavily featured in their Korean boy group’s comeback, their Chinese artists have been and continue to be treated unfairly. One can then argue that the company’s use of Chinese styles in its creative endeavors is done purely for the aesthetic and that “Kick It” can represent an act of cultural appropriation. Chinese culture is more than just flashy handwriting, martial arts moves, and moody interior design.

It should be noted that while only SM Entertainment is examined here it certainly may not be the only agency guilty. But as one of the most famous entertainment companies in the Kpop industry, SM is bound to influence other agencies and Kpop groups regardless of whatever concepts it churns out, and once they follow suit, cultural appropriation will be further normalized. Regardless, the instances of cultural appropriation in Kpop number in the many, and they are not limited to black and other Asian cultures. Several groups in the past, particularly girl groups, have utilized dances, costumes, and motifs in their music videos that fans argued were offensive to Middle Eastern and Native American cultures, for instance, and some performances were criticized for incorporating religious imagery for only aesthetic purposes. It stands that practically every Kpop group in existence, even the most successful ones, has culturally appropriated in the past.

Some, but not all, of these artists and agencies have apologized in some form. At the same time, while an apology would be nice to show to global audiences that they acknowledged wrongdoing, it still does not tell the whole story. Just because an apology was issued does not mean the artists and their agency understand the magnitude of their actions, and vice versa. “Sorry” and an “I will do better” are pleasing to the ears but mean nothing if acts of cultural appropriation happen again and again. To me, time is the most telling - if the artist does not do it again then it is safe to say that they and their company have learned from their mistakes.

But there are still groups and entertainment companies out there that continuously make these transgressions! And that is the problem. We live in the 21st century, our internet and our networks are thriving, and we have been offered many opportunities to learn about issues affecting countries besides our own. It’s time idols and staff were more connected to and understanding of the cultures that their fanbases represent, and that entails truly sitting down, identifying problems with internalized racism and cultural appropriation, and making the effort to get educated about such topics.

Long story short, Kpop has a history of taking aspects of many different cultures and using them in their aesthetics or music. Artists have also done or said things that came off as offensive or insensitive. This impacts people of many cultures, but historically and especially black people (and black fans, whose voices don’t deserve to be ignored).

Cultural appropriation of any kind, even if the appropriator is non-white, is harmful. Not only can it perpetuate stereotypes about certain groups but it also enables us to focus only on the aesthetic of a certain culture and ignore the significance of its unique social history and issues. This has been witnessed far too many times in Kpop simply due to sheer ignorance. While the Kpop community undoubtedly can be diverse, it has to reflect that in a way that doesn’t unfairly sample from other cultures.

Some may argue “but my faves never intended to offend people!”, and that often is the case. However, even if one’s intent was not to be rude or dismissive towards a certain culture, his or her actions have implications that cannot be ignored. Take the very popular and unfortunate case of Korean idols wearing dreadlocks. Certainly they did not mean to make fun of black people’s hair. But there is a history behind that hairstyle - dreads have been used as a means to discriminate against black people, whether through racial profiling by police or through denying job opportunities because the hairstyle looks “unprofessional”. Black people who wore dreads were regarded as dirty and low-class. To see non-black people sporting dreads, getting praised for being “hip” and “cool”, and avoiding the social repercussions that black people have received for sporting dreads advertises the message that the privilege of wearing them proudly is best reserved for non-black folks. For Kpop idols, their intentions may have been good (as in, to fit their concepts), but the impression this gives is one of ignorance.

In a world where Kpop is quickly growing into a global industry, what message does this convey to viewers outside the Kpop community? Or to fans who identify with the appropriated cultures?

With the recent resurgence in the Black Lives Matter movement, we are once again reminded of the importance for awareness. The police officer’s uniform has since grown to be a symbol of violence and oppression in many Western countries, and misunderstandings can and have occurred because Korean idols were not aware of the uniform’s social context.

The costumes on popular music show Inkigayo several days after George Floyd’s death reflected this. Seeing as the theme for the week was to show appreciation for service and healthcare workers in South Korea, the three MCs were dressed in the appropriate costumes. However, the police costume stirred up quite some controversy amongst Western Kpop fans, with some screaming that the MC who wore it was mocking Black Lives Matter, whereas others argued that he was being insensitive to the situation.

Personally, I support the latter position, but not because I am biased towards him and his group. From my understanding, Minhyuk (the MC flamed for wearing the police costume) and Monsta X are very socially conscious and have contributed to campaigns to end world hunger, donated to fund medical research, supported programs to fight abuse and domestic violence, and many more. Based on this, there is no evidence suggesting that he would intentionally want to downplay the movement. What’s more, idols do not always have the freedom to choose what to wear on broadcasts like Inkigayo, especially if they were invited as guests or MCs.

Admittedly, fans may never know how the situation played out behind the scenes. Still, it is important that we hold the stylists and the entertainment companies involved accountable for not doing research beforehand. At the same time, we should also hold individual idols accountable. I do believe Minhyuk was insensitive for not realizing something would be amiss if he wore the police costume. I agree that he should educate himself more on Black Lives Matter and why the costume is very incendiary, even if the South Korean police are highly respected and police brutality is less of an issue there. Seeing that a large portion of Monsta X’s fandom is international, these topics should not be so “niche” as to seem unfamiliar to them, and even if this incident was not an attempt to make light of Black Lives Matter, we should be mindful of the impact of the appearances that were made. Wearing a police uniform at such a turbulent time suggests to global fans that you didn’t bother to keep yourself informed of large-scale social movements that quite literally have a presence worldwide.

That being said, can Kpop take on a different role in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement? What role should it play? And how can Kpop and Black Lives Matter influence each other?

To put it bluntly, the resurgence in Black Lives Matter protests and media coverage gives the Kpop world an opportunity to learn and better itself. It is crucial that artists and their agencies understand an issue that affects a large portion of their fanbase. But educating oneself about the movement can also unlock many intellectual pathways into other topics that affect the global atmosphere, including but not limited to ideas of social hierarchy, typological thinking, institutional racism, among many others.

Social awareness is a virtue that everyone should have even if they are removed from the contexts of the situation. Just like how many Western citizens will keep up to date on topics relevant to non-Western countries, so too can Korean idols, their agencies, and their fans educate themselves a bit on what is happening outside Korea. Besides, being part of a global phenomenon does not come without its consequences. You may be famous worldwide for your music but that does not guarantee you immunity from the many social narratives, issues, and atmospheres that contribute to the world in which you are a part of. In fact, now is a great opportunity not just for everyone to learn about racism and inequality, but also to hold themselves accountable for misguided thinking.

Not to mention, I said earlier that idols are capable of swaying the opinions of their fans on many relevant issues. Just as an idol can learn about these issues, so too can they help to be voices of advocacy and change through showing support. Granted, it’s obviously better (ideal, actually) that fans learn about movements such as Black Lives Matter on their own without the need to do so because “my fave talked about it”, but still we cannot ignore the influence our idols have on the way audiences will view social issues. In this sense, Kpop idols are a form of “soft power”.

Many idols are sources of inspiration and empowerment and their fandoms are safe spaces for their fans. And as fans, many of us would want our idols to at least act like they care about the issues that affect us. There are actions that can be taken to uphold these virtues, especially with regards to global discussions like Black Lives Matter and cultural appropriation.

Admittedly, it would be difficult to demand the industry as a whole to sit down and acknowledge these matters. Perhaps we should view each group on a case-by-case basis instead. Since no two Kpop groups have the same concepts or origins, it stands to reason that the influence of other cultures on their music will differ as well, which can inform the responses they and their agencies give. For example, not all groups strongly cite a hip hop influence, even if the genre of kpop is considered to have arisen partially from hip hop. Still, since Kpop really has grown so global and definitely has a large Western fanbase (and also out of common decency), Black Lives Matter is an issue that I feel every group should address to some degree. To ignore these kinds of issues is to disregard the very valid concerns raised by your international fanbase.

(Additionally, promotions and international concerts generate a large portion of revenue for the Kpop industry. If we really want to go that route, we can argue that it’s imperative for the industry to adapt and learn lest they start losing their international fanbase. Mind you, there’s more than just two non-Korean Kpop fans out there. We have buying and streaming power.)

Is cultural insensitivity the fault of the idols? Not exactly. They certainly don’t deserve to be hated on. In fact, most of the time they had no clue that their actions may have been offensive. Regardless, it should be their responsibility to learn more about relevant issues so that they know to raise concerns to the staff who manage them and hopefully avoid controversies like the ones discussed earlier. The entertainment agencies should also be held accountable for being aware of global issues. Only then can idols, their stylists, and the people who guide their creative careers navigate an ever-changing social landscape. Instances of cultural appropriation and implicit racism in Kpop have happened way too often for the people involved to claim ignorance and just say sorry.

In summary, the Kpop industry and Kpop culture need work. It’s crucial that artists and their agencies recognize and move past cultural insensitivity in order for them to continue thriving in a global network, and it is up to them to learn and adapt because they cannot rely on their fans calling them out forever.

Personally, I remain optimistic because there have been slow but sure signs of progress. In the weeks following the rise in protests, multiple idols and agencies have stepped forward with statements of solidarity. Several groups and their fandoms were reported to have donated upwards of $2 million to Black Lives Matter groups. Even SM Entertainment, in a moment of clarity, issued a company-wide statement pledging to learn more about Black Lives Matter. These actions suggest that such social issues are no longer being ignored in the Kpop community, and that we can be critical of our faves while also remaining optimistic for change. Time will tell whether the industry has truly taken this knowledge to heart and moved on from their past actions.

This is not a witch hunt nor was this intended to hate on Kpop idols. This is an optimistic albeit stern conveying of the fact that we hope the Kpop industry can improve for the better. After all, we would want the things we love to thrive and grow.