South Korean R&B singer Crush high-fived fans during a recent performance, but avoided areas where black concert-goers were reaching out.
Twitter fan called an episode, at a music festival in Seoul this month. As others piled on, some of Clash’s supporters pushed back, saying the video skipped over other parts of the packed audience and showed them warning fans about overcrowding.
smash apologized Last week, he told his 2.7 million Instagram followers about what he called a “misunderstanding” that he avoided high fives with some fans due to safety concerns. He said he loved and respected him and never intended to offend anyone.
“We will never act intentionally to disrespect or offend an individual,” he said.
The debate surrounding this episode has drawn attention to what experts call an old problem. It’s the K-pop industry’s struggle to develop the level of cultural sensitivity expected by fans in the United States and elsewhere.
The criticism also points to K-pop acts embracing their culture, but not respecting them, in the same way that previous generations of white musicians made their fortunes by appropriating black music. It highlights the resentment that has built up over the years among many black fans who feel that
“There are black fans who really love K-pop,” said CedarBough T. Saeji, a K-pop industry expert at Busan National University in South Korea. “But they also have a bone to pick that their fandom has been ignored, as well as their concerns about cultural appropriation and the like.”
big picture
30-year-old Crush (real name Shin Hyo-seop) is an A-list K-pop star at a time when South Korea’s cultural exports are finding legions of new fans abroad. As the K-pop industry becomes more and more international, many of its lyrics are written in English, and agencies promoting K-pop acts are opening offices abroad.
The Clash’s record label, P Nation, was founded in 2018 by singer Psy, who helped bring K-pop to international prominence with his 2012 hit “Gangnam Style.”
Lionel Kim, the label’s chief executive, said the label has always been proactive in trying to scrutinize artists’ content for cultural sensitivities.
“We want to reach as many fans as possible around the world,” Kim said in an interview.
However, South Korea, an ethnically homogenous society, frequently experienced awareness gaps and was generally slow to welcome other cultures within the country.
“Some people don’t even know what is racist, and that includes artists,” said Gyu Tag Lee, a cultural studies professor at George Mason University’s Korea campus. rice field.
A member of Seoul boy band Exo has been accused of making racist remarks during a live broadcast wearing makeup that resembled blackface. And last year, Korean-American rapper Jay Park announced his Music his video for the song “DNA Remix” has been removed.
rising star
The Clash have explored R&B, hip-hop, soul, jazz and other genres in their decade-long career. He started writing rap lyrics in middle school, and listened to black musicians like Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, and James Ingram in high school. Said Korean news media. In 2018 he released a song A tribute to Stevie Wonder.
Last month, Crush released their hit single, “Rush Hour.” with rapper J-Hope of BTS. The lyrics are a mix of English and Korean, the style is funk and hip-hop riffs, and the music video was shot on a set inspired by New York City.
However, frustration with Crash is growing among black K-pop fans in 2016. Appearing on Korean TV Shows He wore a mask of dark skin, big lips, and curly hair, and didn’t apologize after the backlash that followed.
Some fans were also disappointed when Crash deleted an Instagram post about him two years ago donation To the George Floyd Memorial Fund in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Crush’s label, P Nation, told The Times last week that Crush archived the post later that year, along with dozens of non-musical posts.
fall out
After an episode of high fives at this month’s 2022 Someday Pleroma festival, some Crush allies appear to have backed off from their initial support.
J-HopeHow niceApologies for the crash on Instagram.Black Los Angeles singer Devin Morrison cooperated Along with Crash, he wrote on Twitter that he was surprised to see criticism of “artists who treated me and my (black) friends with nothing but respect and kindness.”
However, J-Hope’s like and Morrison’s tweet later disappeared. Neither artist responded to requests for comment.
Some black fans had a nuanced take on the episode, stating that they complained less about Crush than the culture of racial prejudice they feel pervades the K-pop industry.
Akela Vincent, 32, an African-American public school teacher in South Korea, said Crash’s video “seemed different from him flying black fans, but it was different from K-pop.” was not visible.
Melissa Limenyande, 29, a black South African who also teaches in South Korea, said she believed Crash’s explanation that she acted out of concern for the safety of her fans.
At the same time, she has struggled to reconcile her enjoyment of K-pop with the indifference of its creators to other cultures.
“I love these artists, I love their music and their personalities. ‘But if you can take the time to learn about their culture and where they come from, why can’t they do the same?'”