K-POP Ethics Scandals Spread, with Controversy Over BLACKPINK’s Use of N-Word in Audio and Cultural Appropriation Arising One After Another

The K-pop industry is facing turmoil due to ethics-related controversies. According to audio footage released last week by a person identified as “Yujiriker,” who is believed to be a former employee of YG Entertainment, videos showing BLACKPINK members Rosé, Jennie, and Lisa using the N-word during auditions before their Debut have rapidly spread online. Prior to releasing this material, Yujiriker created a Discord channel to explain his motives. He expressed anger over being fired and deep resentment toward the company, claiming that workplace harassment, racism, and sexism were widespread. Yujiriker also asserted that he possessed terabytes of data and raised suspicions against major agencies in the industry, including YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment, HYBE Labels, Cube Entertainment, ALBW, Blockberry Creative, JYP Entertainment, WM Entertainment, and Starship Entertainment. The release of the audio footage sparked debates within K-pop communities regarding cultural sensitivity. Some argued that Rosé, Jennie, and Lisa, being Korean and Thai, might not have fully understood the historical and cultural implications of the English word. However, critics pointed out that two of them, Jennie and Rosé, were fluent in English, especially since Rosé grew up in New Zealand, and intensified their criticism. Some users suggested, “Two out of the three are bilingual and capable of speaking and understanding English; isn’t it excessive to take the BLACKPINK name so seriously?” The controversy has also extended to individual artists. Singer-songwriter from20 (real name: Raehwan) faced strong backlash over a Teaser image for his new song “Eye Candy,” released on April 3. The teaser showed from20 wearing a white tank top and a drag style outfit, posing in front of a bright pink background. Drag is an accessory historically worn by Black people to protect their hair and is a symbol deeply rooted in Black fashion and cultural identity. When individuals who are not Black wear it without acknowledging its origins or meaning, it is labeled as cultural appropriation. Fans and international netizens immediately criticized the lack of cultural sensitivity in this styling, leading to significant criticism against from20. Meanwhile, the Korean idol group THE WIND has been embroiled in a controversy over unauthorized filming. The six-member group, consisting of five Koreans and one Thai person and debuting in May 2023, is said to have used photos that appear to be illegally taken inside Japanese JR stations in the promotion video (PV) for their album “Only One Story,” released in March. Videos edited together showed the members standing side by side in front of JR Iwane Station in Chiba Prefecture and JR Onuki Station in Futsu City, as well as photos taken inside station platforms. A representative from JR East replied to a report by a certain outlet that filming for commercial purposes inside stations requires permission, and no record of legitimate approval having been issued was found at this time. The PV is still available on THE WIND’s official YouTube and Instagram channels, and the group has over 700,000 YouTube subscribers. This series of ethics controversies is reigniting discussions about cultural sensitivity and legal compliance across the entire K-pop industry. Many K-pop fan communities are skeptical, and critics note that these incidents resemble exaggerated narratives commonly seen in social media fan communities. The industry expects clear statements and improvement plans regarding these issues in the future.