The Commercialization of Black Hip-Hop and Rap Culture in K-Pop
Depicted is Mamamoo, a K-Pop group, wearing blackface in a video as part of their concert in Seoul
Image Courtesy of Digital Music News
Some K-pop artists put on blaccents and wear ethnic hairstyles in their music videos, such as musical artist Lalisa Manoban. Other artists utilize Black culture for comedic purposes, like girl group MAMAMOO of whom has dressed up in blackface while imitating famous musicians. A few artists act as though they’re one with Black culture entirely, such as rapper Zico who performs the n-word whilst claiming in his lyrics that he has a “Black soul.” All of these are examples of cultural appropriation.
Cultural appropriation occurs when elements of a culture are used, taken or adopted by people not of that culture without proper education of the culture they are taking from. This kind of appropriation is harmful and offensive, promoting exploitation, resulting in racist actions and frequently involving a lack of cultural recognition. Unfortunately, cultural appropriation of Black hip-hop and rap culture in the Korean music industry is rampant.
K-pop has had a long withstanding fascination with Black culture and music. In the 90s, a modern era of K-pop began to emerge, jump started by male music groups who were influenced by Western culture. Quickly, in accordance with the growing popularity of Black hip-hop, R&B, and rap artists on a global scale, K-pop began to extract major elements of African-American culture. However South Korean musicians did this recklessly, seeing hip-hop as more of an aesthetic and less of a method of healing and storytelling told by Black artists. As a result, the captivation with Black artistry and with music founded and popularized by Black people spilled dangerously into the way South Korea’s entertainment companies aesthetically present an idol.
Every time I see a K-pop idol rocking cornrows in interviews, throwing up gang signs in music videos or calling their special talent “talking like Black people,” I grow furious. All of this is a way for Korean artists and record labels to commercialize Black music and culture.
Boy band NCT 127 is one K-pop idol group that profits from cultural appropriation. Their music video “Limitless” was seen as revolutionary or a cultural reset by fans. However, it’s not as exceptionally fresh as they think. The hairstyles (dreads, braids, etc.), chains and clothing (streetwear, durags, etc.) worn in the video were created and donned by Black men way before NCT 127 was formed. Neither NCT 127’s entertainment company SM nor the idol group itself ever gave credit to these Black origins. Instead, as their pockets filled up with money, they as well as their fans referred to the culture used as trendy. They described the style of music as though it was a costume that can be put on and taken off. But for actual Black people, their identity is not something that can be used and discarded again and again for convenience sake. Unlike these K-pop idols, their identity, music and style are often seen as “ratchet,” “ghetto” and “unrefined,” even in the modern day. In this way, Black people are discriminated against not just because of their skin color but because of their hip-hop and rap culture as well. Not recognizing and understanding this reality is part of the problem.
But K-pop doesn’t care. In fact, neither do a huge chunk of their listeners. K-pop’s success in capitalizing off of Black culture is partially because a large portion of fans are only willing to hear black lyricism, accept black style and much more when it’s through the mouths and appearances of Korean musicians. Many K-pop listeners simply do not care to understand the complexities of Black culture and how it applies in the music industry. Similarly, the corporate world of South Korea fails to consider and occasionally ignores these issues because producing, distributing and marketing the culture makes them money. Why should K-pop’s faces make money off of emulating Black people while Black people are discriminated against everyday?
How have Korean idols gotten away with cultural theft? How come they continue to benefit from Black culture without any serious repercussions?
Well, K-pop fan bases are notorious for being stans, dedicated to their idols no matter what. Because of this, many will remain uneducated to and unbothered by signs of racism and cultural appropriation. If the fans are fine with it and continue to eat the content up, big entertainment companies have no issue continuing to put out music, videos and images that are products of cultural appropriation. That being said, a lot of fandoms are becoming more progressive and embracing “call-out” culture in which they address when an artist or record label is generating or promoting inappropriate images. Holding idols and entertainment companies in Korea accountable has become more and more present in K-pop, and I’m glad to see it.
The real and current problem here is that many of the people behind South Korean entertainment companies and record labels are not keyed into the problem with borrowing from Black culture and refuse to give proper credit. Therefore, the idols that these entertainment companies train, produce, and make profitable are not keyed in either. As put by HCP Marionette, “Idols do not often have the cultural sensitivity training or the initiative to learn more about the various cultures of their international community.” Because they are not aware of or concerned about the impact stealing culture has, K-pop’s usage of Black culture is more fetishization than inclusiveness and more appropriation than appreciativeness.
I feel as though it’s important to note that not every K-pop idol is a cultural appropriator. Some practice cultural appreciation: when people of different races and ethnicities utilize elements of another culture while knowing the background behind it and giving rightful credit in any and all contexts. So while these idols do profit off of Black hip-hop and rap, their music is a collaborative project that properly draws back to its roots. Sadly, these artists are few and far between. A lot of companies and idols persist in fostering inauthenticity and don’t plan on reform.
If K-pop idols and entertainment companies want to keep utilizing and mixing with aspects of Black music, art, style and tradition, they need to do better. These celebrities and their management should take the time to extensively research the history of Black rap and hip-hop culture. They should foster a true appreciation for not only Black people’s art but Black people. They must recognize the impressions they’ll be making and the voices they’ll be influencing in spreading a cultural narrative other than their own.