K-POP fans should be careful when pointing out cultural appropriation.

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

While it is true that gangs aren't native to black culture and they exist in virtually country and ethnic group, most of these blackaboo idols are throwing West Coast Crips or Bloods signs. Those are black gangs and they're doing it to stereotype black culture and hip hop culture

Gangs and the mafia absolutely exist in Korea, ask yourself why they never try to resemble them?

I think this part is very important. If we're saying they're basing some of their concepts from different cultures, then why isn't ever any other culture? I can't recall seeing many of them act as Italian mafia, triads, Yakuza, cartel, etc. I don't think we can honestly say around the globe that bloods and crips are more known the other gangs listed. So why are they always choosing those gangs to imitate and not the other well known gangs?

I think Cortis is off to a messy start with this because I've seen a clip of them using Jamaican slang too. So, it's clear what these companies and groups are going for.

Quote from CaraFIMIE

:pepe-love-not::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-firing::pepe-torch::pepe-torch::pepe-torch::pepe-laser-eyes::pepe-laser-eyes::pepe-laser-eyes::pepe-laser-eyes::pepe-laser-eyes::pepe-torch::pepe-cross::pepe-cross::pepe-cross::pepe-cross::pepe-cross:

pepe-clown-pepe.gif

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

There are good and bad ways to go about it

Of course!! They have choices, but they aren't the smart ones...

Quote from CaraFIMIE

I hate u

It's still not enough

Quote from CaraFIMIE

Idc, I hate u and I will NOT be calling voldemort "papi" or wtv he said in that atrocious song

It's ok, call him daddy instead

Men really have it so fucking easy

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

While it is true that gangs aren't native to black culture and they exist in virtually country and ethnic group, most of these blackaboo idols are throwing West Coast Crips or Bloods signs. Those are black gangs and they're doing it to stereotype black culture and hip hop culture

Gangs and the mafia absolutely exist in Korea, ask yourself why they never try to resemble them?

It’s really weird to dismiss the fact that kpop idols have a certain image towards black people

Kiof is the best example do they think they were mocking some asian people

Quote from StanGIDLE

I think this part is very important. If we're saying they're basing some of their concepts from different cultures, then why isn't ever any other culture? I can't recall seeing many of them act as Italian mafia, triads, Yakuza, cartel, etc. I don't think we can honestly say around the globe that bloods and crips are more known the other gangs listed. So why are they always choosing those gangs to imitate and not the other well known gangs?

Funnily enough, if they had more than a surface-level knowledge of their supposed influences, they'd know that Italian and Columbian gang stuff was very popular in hip-hop.

But then modern k-pop is a genre which can trace its origin to a sample of some dude saying EAST COAST!! back in 1992. Presumably not referring to Busan.

More than twenty years later, the dudes in BTS were shouting "Westside till I die!"

Clown behaviour. For no other reason than it exposes them for being thoroughly stupid and careless in their appropriation of cultural artefacts. If you want to pretend to be something, at least do your godamn homework.

In the case of BTS, they did. They matured, they developed, they allegedly apologised for their stupidity (although some people dispute this so idk), and now I think of someone like J-Hope as one who has genuine appreciation for the four elements.

In between Seo Taiji's debut and early BTS, nothing had changed. With k-pop's global expansion and the proliferation of social media, I thought maybe we had left that kind of nonsense in the past.

But here we are in 2025, with Cortis, LNGSHOT and Allday Project engaging in a three-way clown-off. And the defences for them are so frustrating. Because, yes, hip-hop is a core part of k-pop. But you can perform that music without acting like a racialised minority in a country you're clearly ignorant about. In fact, most k-pop groups manage to do exactly that! It's also telling me to me that k-pop has begun to appropriate UK urban music, but doesn't apply the same... aesthetics to it. Like NewJeans were using dnb without dressing up like Goldie somehow.

"But they work with black producers!!"

Yeah man, so did Justin Timberlake when he was singing about how he couldn't get off the pipe, and he sounded like a total jackass to me back then as well.

Quote from jeyikal307

Funnily enough, if they had more than a surface-level knowledge of their supposed influences, they'd know that Italian and Columbian gang stuff was very popular in hip-hop.

But then modern k-pop is a genre which can trace its origin to a sample of some dude saying EAST COAST!! back in 1992. Presumably not referring to Busan.

More than twenty years later, the dudes in BTS were shouting "Westside till I die!"

Clown behaviour. For no other reason than it exposes them for being thoroughly stupid and careless in their appropriation of cultural artefacts. If you want to pretend to be something, at least do your godamn homework.

In the case of BTS, they did. They matured, they developed, they allegedly apologised for their stupidity (although some people dispute this so idk), and now I think of someone like J-Hope as one who has genuine appreciation for the four elements.

In between Seo Taiji's debut and early BTS, nothing had changed. With k-pop's global expansion and the proliferation of social media, I thought maybe we had left that kind of nonsense in the past.

But here we are in 2025, with Cortis, LNGSHOT and Allday Project engaging in a three-way clown-off. And the defences for them are so frustrating. Because, yes, hip-hop is a core part of k-pop. But you can perform that music without acting like a racialised minority in a country you're clearly ignorant about. In fact, most k-pop groups manage to do exactly that! It's also telling me to me that k-pop has begun to appropriate UK urban music, but doesn't apply the same... aesthetics to it. Like NewJeans were using dnb without dressing up like Goldie somehow.

"But they work with black producers!!"

Yeah man, so did Justin Timberlake when he was singing about how he couldn't get off the pipe, and he sounded like a total jackass to me back then as well.

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This is what always confuses me because if taking inspiration, then why aren’t they doing more homework to make it their own. Plus, what they’re taking from hip hop is confusing, and just puts group in a bad spot. Hip hop was created as a form expression to reflect on oneself and society. I don’t really see that happening with kpop much, and seems to be more about aesthetics and whatever is trending.

I feel it would be interesting if they used hip hop to express the Korean experience to make it their own. I feel that’s what other cultures have done which is why certain scenes gained popularity globally. Uk hip hop scene started to gain respect when they used it to reflect on the uk experience . I’m still unsure what the Korean experience is because it feels hip hop is mainly used to trend chase what’s happening in America and not as a reflection. So, it’s why a lot of people feel kpop rap is inauthentic

Also, I think they’re def looking into stuff like uk garage but aren’t going with aesthetics used in uk and other scenes.

Quote from StanGIDLE

This is what always confuses me because if taking inspiration, then why aren’t they doing more homework to make it their own. Plus, what they’re taking from hip hop is confusing, and just puts group in a bad spot. Hip hop was created as a form expression to reflect on oneself and society. I don’t really see that happening with kpop much, and seems to be more about aesthetics and whatever is trending.

I feel it would be interesting if they used hip hop to express the Korean experience to make it their own. I feel that’s what other cultures have done which is why certain scenes gained popularity globally. Uk hip hop scene started to gain respect when they used it to reflect on the uk experience . I’m still unsure what the Korean experience is because it feels hip hop is mainly used to trend chase what’s happening in America and not as a reflection. So, it’s why a lot of people feel kpop rap is inauthentic

Also, I think they’re def looking into stuff like uk garage but aren’t going with aesthetics used in uk and other scenes.

They should at least move on from the gibberish lyrics, idk why they like it so much

Cultural appropriation accusations have been a red flag for years now