Fans Against Discrimination in K-Music

This is a blog created by international K-Pop fans in response to the rise of black face in Korean entertainment. We are trying to create a movement that will educate Korean entertainers about what is or is not appropriate. This includes black face, racial stereotypes and overall ignorance in the K-Pop industry about its multi-racial audience. You are free to join and create positive dialogue. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr.

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

After looking blog I have no idea how I feel about kpop idols now.

TBH this blog isn’t super active. It’s not for you to hate idols its just to be conscious that kpop doesn’t exist in a vacuum and there’s some not so nice parts of it. This blog was to shed some light on the not so good parts.

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

I'm recently new to kpop and finding this blog has really opened my eyes. Thankyou so much for having created this blog :)

No prob!

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

My ub Victoria is bit of a problematic (throwing colorism at Luna being dark and saying dark skin is ugly) I'm not sure if I should approach this as ignorant or just down right hateful. (I this was a while ago but I found out today and am really confused how to deal with this. I don't want to add her to my "shit list")

You can still like her and recognize she has some internalized colorism shit to deal with. :/ She’s not the worst but yeah.

[black-kpop-fans]

Your opinion on Braids What's the deal with fans and braids Half of ppl like it and half don't on artists. Sometimes it's force on the idols to have it and sometimes braids or dreads are like by male k-rappers and they wanted the style and then there's stylist that puts it on ppl not them. Do u know what I'm trying to say ? My bad if this is messy question

First of all, it rarely looks good and it’s used to accentuate whatever ‘urban’ ‘dark’ or ‘hip hop’ concept the group is trying to do. I won’t deny that it is forced on most, but for the folks that is it not, then it’s appropriative (besides looking not good)

Like this was a hot mess but probably not his choice

or his

this was also a hot mess, but I’m spurred to think it was more his doing than anyone else’s

this too

I get most of your question, but it literally boils down to the fact that we as black folks can’t wear our hair in styles like this without people insulting us or denying us jobs/questioning our professionalism. But yet in the same breath when when non-black folks rock them, it’s cute or cool and it’s all very… frustrating and lowkey anti-black.

-Admin Kim 

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

omfg ok so i was browsing allkpop forums and i saw this thread about using random korean words and someone called out koreaboos. then a mod was saying that "real koreans" that arent from the west don't have problems with koreaboos and that they want foreigners to embrace their culture. they said koreaboo is a term korean americans use to shame them and that by calling them that they are worse because they're judging them for their racism and fetishism lololol i can't with some kpop fans smh.

This sounds like some mess. Just don’t accessorize the korean language y’all. Don’t use korean to sound cute or quirky. Unless you’re trying to communicate with a korean person for a legitimate reason not like hey I know like 2 words in your language listen to me butcher it, you have no reason to use it.

[unpopularkpop-opinions]

Kpop really needs to stop sexualizing underage members of groups. The comments like “Two months until *insert name of maknae here* turns 18”! etc. are so disgusting, even if it is just a joke.

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

What your opinion about some Korean people saying whites copy their pop music and that it shouldn't open their borders for foreigners? I understand Kpop is Korean pop and pop music originated in America so what is foreigners taking from them? Koreans like exploiting black culture like hip hop and get mad if someone that isn't korean sings it lol. Kpop is American music translated in Korean. I don't get these people honestly wtf! Kpop is okay, but is all just copying western music no offense.

True. 

[jinah]

when idols faces are 3 shades lighter than their necks

#MESS

[namchus-blog]

i hope some of you realize that that lightening of skin you do in edits for “fun” is actually a million dollar industry that forces people to believe they won’t be attractive unless they are pale and then sells them tons of products to bleach their skin

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

Hello ! I just wanted to tell you that I was looking to learn more about that whole "whitewashing" trend (that makes me really uncomfortable...), so I found your blog and I've been looking for this kind of Tumblr for so long ! It makes me look differently at Kpop, and since keeping a critical eyes on Kpop is what I want, thank you very much ! We definitly more fans like you !

No problem! Thank you!

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

This isn't a question, but thank you for making this blog, it's really opened my eyes. I hope it continues to open others' eyes as well to the reality that K-Pop isn't as /perfect/ as we think it is.

No problem. As fans we do have a responsibility to acknowledge the problematic aspects of things. If we want to live in a better world we all need to be more accountable. Not saying people aren't human, but please don't give people a pass just because you idolize them.

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

Has sehun ever done anything problematic?

No clue. Sorry. 

[pink-kittycat]

Kai and N would look better if they where paler

[katwalcott]

And you would look better if you STFU. I’m so tired of N, Kai, Hyorin and all the other darker-skinned idols being criticized over their skin colour. Also, don’t come at me with “Oh, well even their group mates joke about it,” because it doesn’t make a difference. It’s disgusting when they do it as well. As much as I love VIXX, I cringe whenever one of them has to throw in a comment picking on N’s skin colour. And just so you know, N has a history of using skin bleaching products, which contain chemicals that can cause cancer, as a result of these types of attitudes towards him. It’s so sad. Can’t believe people who consider themselves fans say shit like this.

[sugasfatgf-deactivated20181129]

kpop fans are colorist trash, what else is new?????

[b-bumb]

problematic things that needs 2 stop in the kpop fandom

PLEASE STOP if u:

say random ass korean words ‘oppa’ ‘wae’ ‘saranghae’ ‘selca’(i’ll give u a pass on some when there aren’t english equivalents like ‘maknae’ - except for ‘oppa’ it depends on the context but 99% its annoying af) even if u use it ~ironically~

call idols with ‘-ah’ or ‘-i’ at the end of their name esp in THE WRONG CONTE XT (you prob can’t even tell the difference between -yah and -ah) like ‘sehun-ah’ 

give yourself a korean nickname (who the hell does this??)</>

aka basically using my language as a fuckin accessory and literally degrading it

think kpop fans saying some korean phrases is like kpop idols having english in their songs. newsflash: no

make fun of idols’ english 

or even think it’s ~sooo cute~ when they speak english

think korean men are hot (rlly? do u think roh moohyun is hot?) and want a ~*~korean boyfriend~*~ (or even worse go to korea to teach english)

want to be korean or ~feel korean at heart

have an URL like ‘koreanontheinside’ or ‘ilovekoreanboys’ or ‘asianatheart’ just no

think you know korean culture because you listen to kpop and watch kpop dramas and movies 

think koreans should ‘appreciate’ your ‘love’ for kpop and kdramas because ur ‘appreciating’ our culture when ur culturally appropriating and fetishizing koreans

excuse an idol’s problematic behavior by saying ‘but in korea it’s different’ or ‘they didn’t mean it / it was a joke’

excuse an idol’s problematic behavior period

do call out an idols’ problematic behavior BUT without taking in the context (as in, you don’t acknowledge that you are criticing it from a western perspective)

wish there was more diversity (read: white) in kpop but you don’t acknowledge the thai, chinese, mixed (lee michelle, yoon mirae), etc. singers in the korean music industry

edit gifs to make it ‘lighter’ aka bleaching the hell out of the idol’s skin tone and then make shitty excuses about it

if you like eatyourkimchi

(these mostly apply to anglophone, western, international fans .. i know there are some [native, immigrant, mixed, diasporic, etc] korean fans on tumblr that like kpop.. but most likely this prob applies to u)

[share-a-blacksodadrink]

No I didn’t edit anything these are from two different fansites from the exact same day?? I don’t care if the fansite owners get mad at me I really don’t give a fuck. Your pictures don’t need a filter to make them look nice. The second picture is amazing and unfiltered and N looks perfect. Don’t white wash him like how hard is that it’s pretty hard actually because it’s extra fucking work. Take picture. Develop HD pictures. Upload them. Wow. To add an extra step is unnecessary. Just stop like it’s rude and disrespectful and you guys wonder why N wears skin lightening make up and why he hates the body that he’s in and why he gets so offended when people make fun of him and why he always asks for more light or why he won’t be on camera in there isn’t a huge bulb in his face it’s you guys doing it you guys made him the way he is. Jeez.

[bangupward2]

TRANSLATION: Summary WHY B.A.P files a LAWSUIT against TS Entertainment - WHAT HAPPENED

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

1.  Up to 50 B.A.P concerts within Korea and overseas for 3 years without resting. No payment was ever given for 3 years until August this year, where 17900 was given per member which calculates to 500 per month which is lower than minimum wage and lower than working in a convenience store.

2. Members showed them hospital reports and requested a break several times but TS continuously rejected. Member who fainted from stress and exhaustion was taken out of the hospital and forced to perform. Hospital fees were paid personally by the members. Basic living standards and food wasn’t great either. They shared a single room with 3 bunk beds for over 2 years.

(it was witnessed that Daehyun continously held his head and looked sick; you can also see in his arm the injection being bandaged)

3. Schedule wasn’t personalised towards the members they disregarded their health states but focused on their profits. (They chose a schedule without regarding their health states and when they said they can’t go because they were too sick they told them any consequences such as lawsuits you will be responsible of)

4. Lack of promotions within Korea that any entertainment is generally responsible for their artists. No chance to appear on variety shows or no promotions of B.A.P’s good deeds/donations were done.

5. Questionable amount of 1.5 million which are promotional expenses. This amount is in the representative director’s personal bank account and they requested to reveal the proper details but no response has been shown. Questionable because no direct and big promotion ever existed.

6. Album/song profits shared in he ratio 1 (B.A.P):9(TS) which is unfair. (B.A.P’s 10% is then shared among 6 members). They said they will change the ratio to 2:8 after they release their 3rd FULL album but the company chooses whether they will let B.A.P release a full album or not. Within 3 years B.A.P released 11 albums but only 1 full album was released recently.

7. Legally contracts between celebrities and entertainments are 7 years but B.A.P’s contract is 7 years and 10 months because they count the official starting date of the contract only after they release their first album. Any periods they miss out due to army obligations, personal reasons or sickness are additionally added in the contract period.

8. If they date and have any scandals or cancel the contract they will have to pay a enormous amount of compensation fee. Thus if B.A.P wants to cancel their contract now TS requires them to pay 14 million.

Why B.A.P are real angels

Under the influence of B.A.P TS earned 10 million and B.A.P sued them because they earned 500 a month. And still all B.A.P want is 30,000. (If you divide 30,000 to 6 members each and 3 years it still is lower than average wage of a normal Korean working in a company). Additionally whilst the members earned a mere 500 a month they continued to donate. Neither have they ever complained or made it obvious through SNS or publicly about the unfair treatment they are receiving. They worked for 3 years without complaining and whenever they received an award they almost mentioned the names of the staff who assisted them.

INCIDENT

1. HImchan - Daehyun- TS incident

A member (Himchan) didn’t attend to one of the performances without any prior notice. When the fans were confused to see he wasn’t there during the red carpet before the performance Daehyun quickly tweeted after the performance apologizing that he couldn’t join due to personal reasons. (It was found out that Himchan was actually sick).

The fans were worrying so Himchan himself tweeted to apologize.

About 2 hours later TS uploads an apology (?) statement saying they didn’t inform the fans beforehand in respect of Himchan who told us he wanted to tell the fans himself.

This statement basically says that Daehyun, who tweeted for the fans who were worrying, is a member who failed to respect Himchan’s own wills + Himchan is a member who turned his backs towards the fans who came all the way from Seoul to Changwon ( which takes 3 hours and 30 minutes). Instead of protecting their artists, TS attacked and used B.A.P as a shield instead.

2. Incident where TS purposely removed the face of a member in their official videos

In their naver starcast video where B.A.P were making fans and m aking bingsoo, they purposely edited out Yongguk. Anyone who isn’t a fan would believe they are a 5 boy group.

Bang Yongguk during late at night tweeted some unusual tweets and fans were worrying over this until a video was uploaded a few days later where Yongguk’s face was purposely edited out. 

They purposely only shot the 5 members and cropped out Yongguk in all scenes.

3. In-ear problems. 

Daehyun and Himchan had problems with their in-ears and therefore they performed with earphones for 3 MONTHS because they had TS wasn’t willing to fix their in-ears. So the fans told TS they will buy it for them but TS said B.A.P was too busy and didn’t take them to the professional in-ear shop (they needed to make in-ears that fit their ears perfectly by casting and shaping). Members were seen on stage continuously touching the earphones or taking it out because it was uncomfortable 

INSTAGRAM AND SNS HINTS

(hasta ahora meaning = we will meet soon, i will come back soon)

(Yongguk instagram)

There is no end, let’s go forever #BABY

' There is so much I want to say but my trust is absolute and will not change. I will do my best tomorrow. I truly thank you baby.'

-

I just want to say thanks to the B.A.P members who always tried their best to the fans whether they were on top or under the stage despite the declining of their health and unfair treatment of TS. I am so upset and angry that they were treated so lowly and unfairly when they deserved more than any other idols since they were so busy and hard working. I really didn’t even suspect this since they were always smiling I just feel so sorry that I didn’t know what was happening. The only thing I can do as a fan is that I will stand by them and continuously love them the same no matter what entertainment, name,  language they speak in the future.

#ForeverWithBAP

- translated and edited from http://m.blog.naver.com/thewindy2/220193840356 by Jess from @bangupward2

[kevinjonass-deactivated20150313]

hey can you guys do me a favor and report these two. thanks.

[kevinjonass-deactivated20150313]

and report this one too 

[fansagainstdiscriminationinkpop]

SIDE EYE