K-Pop’s biggest names join the Black Lives Matter movement
Day6’s Jae, Jay Park, GOT7’s Mark and Yugyeom, Crush, Heize raise voices
Prominent Korean and K-Pop artists have shown their support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and joined in solidarity following the unlawful death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Day6’s Jae, Jay Park, GOT7’s Mark and Yugyeom, Crush, Heize are among a number of artists that donated to BLM and shared their support for the black community. BTS and label Big Hit Entertainment have also donated $1 million (Dh3.7 million) to BLM, Variety reports.
“Many artists and people around the world get so much inspiration by black culture and music including me. We have a duty to respect every race,” R’n’B artist Crush wrote on his Instagram.
Rapper and songstress CL has also taken to her Instagram to call for solidarity and talked about how black artists have inspired her work, the K-Pop industry and former band 2NE1.
“Artists, directors, writers, dancers, designers, producers, stylists in the K-Pop industry are all inspired by black culture whether they acknowledge it or not. I would like to encourage all the K-Pop fans to give back and show their love and support for all that we have received from Black artists,” the former 2NE1 member wrote.
“I want to explain to all the K-Pop fans, fellow Asians, and non-Americans who feel like they have little or no connection to what’s happening that we are all connected at the end of the day. And don’t we, Asians living abroad, also face enough racism to the point where we are numb and sick of it? We must stand up together as one helping them fight for justice.”
Joining global celebrities, CLC’s Sorn, Samuel, Eric Nam, BTOB’s Peniel, Hoya, AleXa, Dean, Minzy, Tiger JK, NCT 127′s Johnny, BoA, Momoland’s Ahin, JooE and Nancy, Red Velvet’s Yeri have also supported the movement with messages on their personal social media accounts.
K-Pop rock band 2Z took a knee to demand justice for Floyd with captions that read: “No racism. No violence. We want peace”.
Others have also shared links to foundations and fund-raising platforms while other musicians like BTOB’s Eunkwang, BoA and Psy posted black squares for #BlackOutTuesday, an initiative by the music industry in the ongoing fight against injustice.
Much like music companies and other businesses, Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone’s hip-hop label H1GHR Music postponed the release of music and have also donated $21,000 to the BLM organisation.
K-Pop bands BTS, Monsta X and Ateez have issued statements online, condemning racial disparity and voiced their support of the black community days after protests sparked across the US and in other countries.
“We stand in solidarity with those who have given their lives for the right to be heard,” Ateez tweeted on June 4.
Considered one of the most active and organised communities online, K-Pop fans have also worked together to refrain from using K-Pop-related hashtags in order to support the BLM movement.
They reportedly flooded not only the Dallas Police Department’s iWatch Dallas app with K-Pop fancams but also social media with #WhiteLivesMatter accompanied by images, fancam footage and memes of their favourite artists to drown out racist, white-supremacist messages.