As K-pop continues to grow, the less people know about the influence Black culture has on the K-pop community.
In the last decade, Korean popular music has gone global and continues to grow in South Korea. Groups like BTS, BLACKPINK and Stray Kids have become the face of this music genre.
K-pop is a fun and vibrant music genre that has captivating choreography and catchy music, but a lot of people aren’t aware of the individuals behind not just the music, but the culture surrounding it.
A huge part of K-pop emanates from Black culture. Before it became a worldwide trend, the Korean music industry had been watching and learning from Black artists in the U.S., taking inspiration from hip-hop, R&B, street dance and Black fashion.
Components such as the smooth singing style and incorporation of rap, dance routines and even the fashion K-pop idols wear stem from Black creators who shaped these styles first.
The K-pop industry did not create these styles alone, but rather drew inspiration from Black artists that rose to fame long before the industry.
Because K-pop is often shown as something new and unique, a lot of fans never learn where these styles originate. Many fans learn about the fandom through social media, so they only see what is viral and trending.
They see bright colors, sharp dance moves and catchy beats, but not the history behind them. When that history is hidden, it becomes easy for fans to believe that the K-pop industry created these styles, when they actually borrowed them.
Problems arise when idols or companies use Black culture in ways that seem disrespectful and careless. Over the years, many K-pop artists have been criticized for various things, such as wearing hairstyles tied to Black identity, using African American Vernacular English incorrectly and copying the looks and sounds of Black artists without giving credit.
These moments upset many fans, especially Black fans, who feel like their culture is being used without being respected.
Despite the number of times fans have raised their concerns, the Korean music industry fails to acknowledge that a lot of the elements of K-pop come from Black culture.
As a teaser for their new album “ARIRANG”, BTS released an animated teaser in which animated characters of themselves were seen singing in front of Founders Library at Howard University. The video caused backlash because it portrayed mostly white characters in the crowd at a predominantly Black school.
Fans and Howard students spoke out about the video, saying it erased the school’s Black identity and reflected the recurring pattern of K-pop using Black culture without representing Black people.
Howard University also stated that the teaser was not accurate. The issue led to debates about racism in K-pop and left many fans disappointed.
Many former K-pop fans have said that ongoing issues like these are the reason why they left the fandom. Some say they got tired of seeing idols repeat the same mistakes. Others share that they felt uncomfortable supporting an industry that uses Black culture without showing respect and integrity.
As K-pop keeps growing, more fans are starting to speak up. All they ask is for the industry to be honest about where the inspiration for this music genre comes from. Giving credit won’t hurt K-pop, it will only make it more respected and enjoyable to listen.
