Black K-Pop fans are calling out HYBE‘s Weverse for their recent article.
Weverse Magazine recently released an article titled “K-pop in America after BTS What’s the meaning of K-pop in the US these days?.” It highlights K-Pop in the U.S. after BTS‘s successes and cultural impact.
Many ARMYs appreciated the article as it recognized BTS’s history-making achievements…
Yet, many were upset and offended by the article, and for good reason.
“K-pop in America after BTS What’s the meaning of K-pop in the US these days?” also talks a lot about diversity, providing statistics of people groups that listen to K-Pop. Asian, Hispanic or Latino, and White are the only ones mentioned, though. Black and Indigenous are both excluded.
Likewise, later in the article, it talks about helping just white and Asian women “to build a positive self-image.” Again, Black and Indigenous are ignored as well as Hispanics this time. Yet, the entire paragraph is supposed to be about race and ethnicity.
Naturally, Black Americans were upset reading the article recognizing the erasure of an entire demographic.
Based on that Weverse article, no one’s in this picture 🫥🤷🏾♀️ https://t.co/HSixQgnwwk
— Britt Franklin ☆ (@franklybritt) September 25, 2022
When the statistics provided in the article are added up, 21.2%, a large percentage, is unaccounted for. The math was certainly not mathing.
It’s problematic enough that such a large portion of K-Pop fans was not recognized. But the fact that Black American music and culture have had such a huge influence on K-Pop makes it even more disrespectful.
The erasure of Black fans in the demographics of this article… about K-pop… which is heavily influenced by Black culture…
I get that Weverse Magazine is based in Korea but some wider scopes need to be applied to some of these articles so stuff like THIS doesn’t happen. 🙃 https://t.co/SFB5MeIuSU
— Britt Franklin ☆ (@franklybritt) September 22, 2022
An apology has still not been issued. Rather than edit Weverse’s article to include Black fans, it has been edited to include a link to a PDF in Korean that includes “all races.”
we are directed to a PDF in Korean – not only is the statistic not on p. 8, but the document isn't translatable, heightening the sense of invisibility.
The exclusion of Black American fans is not only hurtful, it is offensive, especially given the incredible historical and+
— (Vicki) for Tomorrow (@victorioustsui) September 29, 2022
I am seeing other Army posting their dismay, sadness, and disappointment on Twitter, and they are not being heard. Please hear us when we say it again: we are one fandom, and all of us want to be seen. #WeverseFixIt
— (Vicki) for Tomorrow (@victorioustsui) September 29, 2022
What's Happening Around The World
Share This Post
