K-pop Fans Worry About Bands’ Involvement in US Politics

 

Some followers¹ of Korean popular music, known as K-pop, have been using social media to get active in American politics. But in South Korea, K-pop fans are concerned that their favorite artists will get pulled into foreign political battles.

Fans of Korean pop artists have made appeals around major political movements in the United States in recent weeks. They used their online communities and mobile technology to ask for public support and donations.

The issue gained attention after an election campaign event last Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. U.S. President Donald Trump² went there to speak with his political supporters. K-pop fans and users of the video sharing app TikTok claimed partial credit for reporting that large numbers of Trump supporters planned to attend the event. In fact, the size of the crowd was smaller than what organizers had expected.

Some people were said to have commented online that they claimed tickets so that Trump supporters could not attend the gathering³.

Fans worry about influence of politics

Fans of the Korean pop artists BTS and other groups have been active online in support of social causes. Earlier this month, fans of BTS donated money to the Black Lives Matter campaign. They wanted to match the group's earlier donation of $1 million.

Black Lives Matter calls itself an international organization aimed at supporting black communities. Fans went on social media to voice support for the group's opposition⁴ to racism⁵ and police violence.

Jung Duk-hyun is a South Korean culture critic. Jung notes that the millennial⁶ generation uses mobile-based communications as a "means to quickly spread their political voices and mobilize support."

The donation to Black Lives Matter matches earlier efforts by BTS and other K-pop groups to support social and humanitarian⁷ causes. In the past, they donated money to help Syrian refugees and campaigns to stop violence against children.

But the incident with the Trump campaign event has started a debate among K-pop fans in South Korea. They do not appear to have been involved in any large way in that effort. Young South Korean artists rarely get involved in their country's politics. And many internet gathering forums⁹ for fans ban political discussions.

Chang Ju-yeon is a 22-year-old student. Chang said many Korean fans support human rights campaigns led by BTS.

"We're proud that BTS leads those efforts as global artists and do want to raise voices together on universal issues that earn everyone's sympathy," Chang told the Reuters news agency. But the student thinks the singers should not be used in U.S. politics.

"...Artists should stay away from domestic politics," Chang said, worrying that they could be used for political purposes.

An official with Big Hit Entertainment, the company that helps oversee¹⁰ BTS, did not comment to Reuters.

On Monday, an American reporter, Rosanna Scotto, asked another K-pop group, TXT, about the Trump campaign event last weekend. Group members looked unsure and did not answer the question.

Some fans criticized Scotto for asking a question about U.S. politics.

BTS's campaign to help Black Lives Matter, or BLM, has received support from K-pop fans. But some fans are urging those in the United States to stop "forcing others to give money" and to respect the rights of individuals to express themselves.

On Monday, one fan expressed concern on BTS's official fan community app, called Weverse. "BLM was understandable as it was about human rights, but it makes me uncomfortable to see my idols¹¹ pop up in Trump-related news," the fan wrote.

I'm Mario Ritter Jr.

Words in This Story

mobile – adj. relating to handheld computers and other wireless¹² technology

app – n. short for application, a computer software program used on a mobile device

ticket – n. a piece of paper that gives the holder¹³ a right, such as entering a place or traveling on a train or airplane

millennial – adj. describing a person who has become an adult around the year 2000

match – v. to go with

forum⁸ – n. a meeting place where ideas can be exchanged

proud – adj. feeling pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's actions

domestic – adj. in one's own country, not in a foreign country

uncomfortable – adj. causing a feeling of unease or worry

1 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

6 millennial   

一千年的，千福年的

参考例句：

• Both Russia and America looked to the future to fulfill their millennial expectations. 俄国和美国都把实现他们黄金时代的希望寄托于未来。
• The millennial generation is celebrating the global commons every day, apparently unmindful of Hardin's warning. 千禧一代显然对哈丁的警告不以为然，每天都在颂扬全球“公地”。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

10 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

11 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

12 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

13 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。