Meeting at the Crossroads acknowledges the significance of the ‘fine lines’ that exist within the K-pop industry. Lines that separate cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation, obsessiveness from admiration, and political correctness from creative expression.
Cultural Appropriation / Cultural Appreciation
Recently a well-known K-pop girl group and their agency were heavily criticized for what many of their fans (and non-fans) described as an alleged act of disrespect for one of the “most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon”: Ganesha. While the group’s agency responded quickly to the barrage of criticism received by editing this background prop out of the official MV, neither an explanation nor an apology were forthcoming. For those fans most affected by this situation, the damage done (at the very least) was deserving of an apology.
Shortly after, BTS started receiving similar criticisms for the inclusion of the Virgin Mary statue in J-Hope’s “Ego” MV. This sparked further debate on what is appreciation and what is appropriation. Borasaek Vision published an opinion piece on this topic last year when J-Hope’s hairstyle came under fire in his “Chicken Noodle Soup” MV. Our writer (who self-identifies as a person of color) described these two concepts of appropriation and appreciation as “the elephant in the room” – something that is obviously controversial or problematic, but a topic no one wants to talk about.
Cultural appropriation is very real and personal for people whose culture has been used (and abused) either as a result of ignorance or arrogance. There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn about and understand another person’s culture—on the contrary, this is appreciation at its finest. However, to take another person’s culture and use it for your own personal interest or gain, without knowing or caring about whether you are using it appropriately is a “Not, Not, No” as V would say. That is no longer appreciation; it is appropriation.
Obsessiveness / Admiration
With millions of fans worldwide it is not surprising that the BTS members sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of love and support they receive. This love reveals itself every time BTS set a new record, pierce a glass ceiling, achieve an all-kill, or sell out a product. These achievements demonstrate how popular and loved BTS is.
Sometimes though, that love and admiration can become so excessive that it causes more harm than good. It only takes a glance at past BTS airport experiences to see how easily a simple excursion can turn into a chaotic mess. While Big Hit can make announcements regarding ‘airport etiquette’ or ‘fan club etiquette,’ and increase security to ensure the safety of BTS members and staff, fans ultimately still have to take responsibility for their actions.
However, if a fan's level of support has crossed the line of admiration to obsessiveness, this is often difficult to counter, let alone predict. Obsessive actions and behaviors don’t follow the designated script that guides fan etiquette. In K-pop terms, fans who behave in this manner are called ‘sasaengs’ (사생팬). According to SOMAG NEWS which recently published an online article on sasaeng fans, sasaeng can be translated to ‘personal life,’ which paints the picture of a fan that invades an artist’s personal life out of a warped sense of love and admiration.
We acknowledge that obsessive behavior by fans invading artists’ personal and professional privacy is a matter of great concern. More alarming though is the reality of how destructive this type of behavior can be for both the fan and the artist. Without doubt, obsessive behavior can also negatively affect fans in their daily lives, especially when it molds into a form of celebrity worship that causes them to make harmful choices. This also gets a “Not, Not, No” from us.
Political Correctness / Creative Expression
Depending upon where you position yourself in this discussion, the term ‘political correctness’ (PC) (and its usage) can be viewed as either complimentary or insulting. According to one writer, the intent of political correctness is not to silence creative expression, but rather to ensure that whatever is being expressed does not by any means harm or disadvantage minoritized and marginalized communities.
BTS have experienced both sides of this debate. As people whose creative expression is continually at the forefront of what they do as singers, composers, and performers, they understand the importance of being able to express themselves freely and openly through their music. On the flip side, they also know what it feels like to be criticized for being politically incorrect either in their lyrics, their fashion, and/or their performances. Notably, two examples of creative expression that were flagged as not being PC include the ‘glass ceiling’ reference in “Not Today,” and the Jim Jones sample included in “What Do You Think?” (which has since been removed and an apology issued).
RM’s words from his 2018 UN Speech, remind us that BTS are not perfect and are always open to learning and improving as artists. “Maybe I made a mistake yesterday, but yesterday’s me is still me.” - RM
Ending Ment
“Meeting at the Crossroads” acknowledges that there is a critical juncture at which these six concepts meet: cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation; obsessiveness and admiration; political correctness and creative expression. They exist, they are important and they have an impact on the K-pop industry as a whole—not just BTS. Fortunately, BTS constantly reminds us that we need to talk about topics such as these, but with respect. Just as one person has a right to speak their truth, someone else has the right to respond to that truth, but again, with respect.
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Shelley
Edit By: Esma
Checked By: Euni
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