The World's Most Controversial K-Pop Group
K-Pop, or Korean Idol pop music, is a 5 billion dollar industry whose music, fashion, stars and lifestyle have taken the world by storm. But while K-Pop’s fanbase has diversified, most K-Pop idols haven’t - so what happens when white people try and become K-Pop idols themselves?
On this episode of 'MINORITY REPORTS,' VICE sent Lee Adams to Seoul, South Korea to meet EXP Edition, the world’s first non-Korean K-Pop group. The group’s 4 members - Koki Tomlinson, Frankie DaPonte, Hunter Kohl and Šime Košta - believe you don’t need to be Korean in order to do K-Pop. When they debuted, EXP Edition faced a lot of criticism from mostly non-Korean K-Pop fans, who claimed the group was misappropriating Korean culture. EXP Edition maintains this pushback happens to anyone trying to break into a new genre of music - but is the group going too far in their attempt to be K-Pop idols?
We explore the wildly popular world of K-Pop and raise questions of where the line is drawn between cultural appreciation vs cultural appropriation and who should actually draw it.
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Пікірлер: 17 000
These men legit look in their 30s going on 40s
It's hilarious how the non-koreans are the one getting offended by all this.
Half japaness half German and raised in texas, now that's a deadly combination,
Seems more like they're trying to assimilate than appropriate. They are trying to be respectful and have come to love the genre and the country.
they have big time rush energy
I can almost guarantee that if they were girls people would be even more quick to call them Korea-boos
What I also think is kind of weird is that you absolutely cannot ridicule anyone’s English pronunciation but it’s ok to criticize anyone who speaks English when they speak another language. We all should give each other more grace.
I'm Korean. Tbh, I couldn't care less, i think their singing is good- even despite the pronunciation. Imitation is one of the greatest expressions of admiration, too, anyway. Y'ALL, those who are least involved in the actual situation are the most vocal and angry about these things. Ughhh
most of the hate actually comes from "white" people or just non-korean people... that is a bit sad.
people dont like them because they are cringe lol it aint that deep
It’s insane how many people are saying they’re too old. What a judgemental world we live in.
I'm a Korean and I have no fucking idea why this is an issue at all.
Why do they look like they’re 40 😂
I think its because they were not up to the standard on talent and they dont fit the image
“Foreign kpop fans mainly American feel this need to protect kpop, even though it’s not really their’s to protect.”
Im Korean and I could not be more cool with these guys. Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Black, White, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, it does not matter with me. If you have dreams of succeeding in my country, you appreciate my country enough and you have genuine intentions in place and back them up with hard work, I will cheer for you. These guys are clearly that. They have no other intentions or ulterior motives other than making it as artists in a genre and culture that they like which is Korean music. Kpop and Korean music as a whole is a global genre alongside being a musical genre originating in Korea and for me, as long as you have genuine love and intent to understand and learn my culture and my country, were all good.
korean:
Koki has the visuals to become an actor in Korea tbh
Didn't black people start pop band music anyway. Temptations, Jackson 5 New Edition ect.....
GD once said he doesn't like the word "kpop"