From music and dramas to streetwear, cultural appropriation is very common in Korea. If you've ever traveled or lived in South Korea, you'll know what we mean. We discuss why this is the case and why it should ever happen.
Cultural Appropriation: The use of elements from other cultures, such as hairstyles, fashion, or dance, by K-pop artists has been a point of contention. Debates have centered on where cultural appreciation crosses the line into appropriation, but we wonder: "Should it continue?"
If we take a look at the music video of K-pop group EXID’s tenth-anniversary album title track “Fire”, which dropped in 2022, Hani’s box braid hairstyle was evidently blurred out, but why would someone go to this length or even approve the concept if it was not going to be shown?
Their comeback announcement at the time of the video left fans counting down the days for the video to be released, however, once the teaser was shown, it created heaps of fury, and rightfully so. Many fans or viewers took to social media as viewers called out for cultural appropriation. As the box braided hairstyle is specific to the African-American community, using it carelessly in the music video has stirred such controversy. For me coming from the UK, there is a big diverse music culture from Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean all showcasing different styles, images, and dance. However, in Korea, it's VERY rare to find this scene sadly.
In response to the music video teaser and the backlash in comments from fans, the company decided to blur out her hair; however, there were mixed reactions to the company’s decision as some expressed approval while others deemed it unsatisfactory and I couldn't agree more with this. I think it is fine for K-pop idols to use or borrow ideas from a different culture, but it is extremely important to be respectful of it and use it appropriately. This only makes the videos more interesting and with many countries around the world especially in the West being multicultural what better way to integrate different cultures and bring them together?
I also think that from an entertainment company, their view is more corporate and the thinking is that if they have a lot of negative reviews and less stream time then that will make them less profits, However, we are in the 21st century and the older more conservative generation of Koreans is starting to become questioned by the more outspoken more cultured younger Korean generation.
This incident was not the first time Korean entertainment was criticized for cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation refers to the unrecognized or unfitting adoption of customs or ideas of one group or society by a member of another group or society that is oftentimes the majority. There are still ongoing debates regarding what determines the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
Also with cancel culture becoming more common these days, I think big entertainment companies and artists need to be very careful about cultural appropriation.
Let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
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