KPop has always taken inspiration from black music, even going back to the 90s when the genre really started to gain popularity. There are videos of the first big Kpop groups donning blackface and braids while performing to look like the musicians they tried to emulate. While blackface isn’t as prevalent in Kpop releases today, black stereotypes and styles popularized by black people are always front and center of performances and music videos alike.
Copying black culture is part of the reason black Kpop fans exist, as the music emulates the culture the fans grew up with and the artists do are professional dancers and singers, so of course they perform well. That being said, it takes being able to overlook the blatant copying to enjoy the music, and that’s becoming harder and harder especially after a recent leak of videos of 3 out of the 4 members of popular group, BlackPink, and member of popular group 2NE1, CL, covering songs originally by black artists and saying the n word in the songs.
The videos are of no shock to black Kpop fans because of what was mentioned before: Kpop has always copied black culture. Most black fans know that their favorite artists have probably done something racially insensitive and disrespectful, but without proof it was easy not to think about. After recent leak of those practice videos as well as a live hosted by newer girl group, Kiss of Life, where the members dressed up as “rappers” and spoke in a way only used to mock black people, a lot of fans are throwing in the towel and withdrawing their support of not only these groups, but many groups who have done the same.
Sadly, fans aren’t surprised by these instances of racism, simply tired of the disrespect and ready to remove their support and pour into groups that try and be aware of the cultures they’re biting from.
