Why is kpop so racist towards people of colour?

It actually started not long ago,but I have actually started to build some resentment towards the Korean entertainment.

Somethings in the entertainment industry that I was unaware of until I stumbled across a video of Gikwang, a member of B2ST, performing a skit in black face. I didn't really understand it at a first glance but as I took time and sat down to actually watch it, it all became clear. He was apparently demonstrating how a black person eats a watermelon. It angered me at first, but I quickly blocked it out of my mind thinking that, oh he's just being ignorant and probably needs to be taught about coloured people.

And because he lives in a homogeneous nation where one might normally not see a person of colour(hence when I state a person of colour is anyone with dark skin, might it be a Cambodian, Mexican,Somali...etc). So I totally blew it off and moved on. But about 4 years ago, I found an article(I forgot where I found it), stating the history of black face in the Korean entertainment. I got disappointed because I thought that the black face in the Korean media was just something that had began...not knowing that it's actually been around since the 1980s. Really? Since the 1980s, they've been doing this and everytime that they got caught, they'll bring out the excuse "well it's not our fault....because we were just mimicking what they do, not berating them" It really hurts to know that the groups that I very much like and hope for their success internationally are being so mean towards the people of colour due to the things that they see on TV, even though they haven't even come in contact with such people.

I do not appreciate the cover ups that the "fans" do. Like I read something on tumblr, where a non-coloured girl was saying that "oh...it's not oppa's fault and besides, you coloured people complain too much and overreact on such things" First of all, non coloured people really need to stay out of it because they do not know the utter devastation it puts a person like me in, to find out that people of "my kind" are degraded and laughed at as a form of entertainment for others. I would like to know what you guys think.

Do you honestly think that it's fair to pass judgment onto others due to the misbehavior of some bad fruits belonging to that race? Is it plain ignorance or do these people know?

Voice out your opinions, don't hold back!

Back to Top ↑

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
AlisCookieMonster #1
Yeah, I have even heard that all KOREANS in general are racist. I just wanna give them a slap and a lecture right now. They may seem very advanced, but their minds are still stuck in the 1800's. I really wish that all of this will stop because if I go to a fan meet and someone calls me 'chocolate girl' or whatever, I'm gonna slap that person. I don't effing care who it is. If you're going to be racist to me, we have a big problem.
exoticd #2
sry ma comment is almost,the same length as ur article sry
exoticd #3
i am not saying i a kpop hater but one thing i wane do when there racist is slap the out,of them u know it hurts for peopel like us colored skin,what the f... is wrong with that were still a person we can do what ever u can do its just that u dont give us a chance is when we talk about s.korea hear they sure are racist but befor in the wars with n.korea what black african country helped them when the other turned down who helped them won the best they couled do is treat us like trash not realising any but we wont use that aginest anyone we sit hear wating until they beg for help we give our strength but they only thank us by treating us like dogs whatever lets wait and see the first person was found in africa ethiopia (of coures there black) and the last person will end up there !!
to all racist fans out there just to make ur blood,boil whenever u insult peopel,for being black,there saying the same thing but replacing black with white just like when ur pointing ur finger to other people the rest3 fingers are pointing to u

BTW if your offended sry just what i felt dont take me sezrious i am only 13
KpopFangirl1008 #4
yeah it's disgusting and rude. And funny thing is when kpop fans try to say "You have to look at it from a Korean's point of view! They don't know anything about black people and culture!"
LOL they need to shut their ignorant asses up. First off, a great example is Rhianna, when she pulled back her eyes to mimic PSY as he was getting his award for Gangnam Stlye. Rhianna wasn't born here, she's from Barbados, where Asians are about less than 1% of the population. Is anybody going to look at it from her point of view? Of course not! They will jump to conclusions and call her out on her crap.
It also frustrates me when kpop fans will jump at anyone who's racist to their idols or any Asian in general, but they will be so passive or completely ignore when k-idols are racist towards darker skinned people.They will start out saying "Yuck! racism is so gross!" but when they hear that their idol was racist they'll say, "yeah racism isn't really good, but I don't think s/he knew any better" and making implications that they weren't wrong or trying to excuse them, and bla bla bla. These fans are delusional and need help :/.
Klogan11 #5
They really need to understand what they are talking about. They should think before they speak. At first I thought it must have been a mistake,but as I start reading more and more about kpop idols doing and saying racist comments it started to make me wonder. They need to remember that the race that they are picking on and making fun are the founders and leaders of the music that they are making. African Americans are the ones that invented hip hop and r&b not them. They are just catching up to where we African Americans are already at. I'm not going to pass judgement on all of them cause most Koreans are open minded I know a few, but they should watch what they say,b/c they may just lose there fame and the respect of some pretty high and powerful artist that they have come to know and love.
Iloveanime #6
They shouldn't be racist like that. I am offended at that, even if I'm not black myself. But, I don't think we should pass judgement on ALL Koreans on this matter because some actually aren't racist and are actually open minded about this. And I do not like the fans defending them just because they're their beloved oppas. They should come to terms that no one, not even kpop idols, can just be racist.
Moona178 #7
Wow like i mean I've read about it on a blog on tumblr (ps my tumblr user is [email protected], *wink,*wink) and I found it down rite appalling im suddanese but being a person of color I felt like really betrayed knowing that I actually looked up to these kpop stars. Idk, but it kinda stung
ErisChaotica #8
I find it delusional for fans to excuse their idols' behavior like that. Blackface is wrong and offensive, end of story. However, I'm more willing to be understanding toward Koreans than, say, someone born and raised in the United States, on this issue because Korea as a nation is comparatively very inexperienced in terms of dealing with diversity and integrating into the globalized world. 30 years seems like a long time, but it's not when you step back and examine the history of civilization, or even the history of Korea itself. It industrialized so quickly that many forget or don't even realize that Korea was a "Hermit Kingdom" up until the 1900s. In a way, I view the people of Korea as children when it comes to things like race. They've been taught to believe/behave a certain way, and due to lack of extensive interaction with foreigners, they don't really know any better. Perhaps others are too idealistic, but I believe that cultural brainwashing is very difficult to overcome. Even as far as humanity has progressed, society is still riddled with prejudice in areas beyond race, such as gender and uality. Korea's simply further behind most developed nations in the struggle toward a more equal world, so in my opinion, rather than simply rage at Korea, the rest of the world should make efforts to educate them so they may progress away from their prejudicial mindsets. Yes, they have used excuses in the past, but again, undoing cultural brainwashing isn't always as simple as explaining something to someone once. For some, accepting a change in values comes easily, but for many, they take their existing mindset for granted to such an extent that they literally don't understand the concept of an alternative world view, and it will take far more to change their attitudes. If it were really as easy as explaining things a few times, it wouldn't have taken as long as it did for slavery to completely go away, and racial tensions wouldn't be a problem in the world still.
ChaoticDarkAngel #9
Oh wow...yeah that's the only thing I don't like about how some idols act. Not all of them are like that I'm sure, but when I saw some of them doing 'Black Face' I was really hurt even though I'm not black. Don't they know they have black K-Pop fans as well? I really think some idols NEED to watch how they say things.

To be fair also every race, even white people, deal racism. I personally have never dealt with racism but I've had people in my family mocked for being white...not a good feeling and nobody should have to deal with racism. I don't have a problem with Koreans at all, I love the Korean culture, I just don't like how some act towards people of different skin color.
xrainismx #10
wow they really need to stop and think of what their actions is doing to Korea as a whole. I have met a few Koreans who are very opened minded and actually find it disgusting that the Korean media and the general population of Korea can behave like that.
Then how do they think Rihanna got famous internationally?
It's the same for kpop.
TheTimeChaser #11
i agree with @sargav's comment.

and...it's not only kpop or korean pop. it's korea as a whole. i read some eng translations of knetizens' comments about rihanna and everyone was just racist as hell, even saying black people are the only people listening her songs, the fuq and saying 'what's good about being white?'

sigh
cycroz021 #12
I'd say that some people actually know but for the majority, they're ignorant. Most fans tend to be so overprotective on their favorite idols and BAM they don't care about it when their idols pretend to be black people. Which really is infuriating... .__.
Lillybee #13
Every race is discriminated against, so while non-colored people might not know how you feel; they know a similar feeling. I agree though people shouldn't be racist.
Back to Top ↑