BTS is not known for making political statements, but on Thursday the group issued a social media post early Thursday saying that they “stand together” against racial discrimination and used the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.
우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다.
우리는 폭력에 반대합니다.
나, 당신, 우리 모두는 존중받을 권리가 있습니다. 함께 하겠습니다.We stand against racial discrimination.
We condemn violence.
You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.#BlackLivesMatter— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) June 4, 2020
“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together. #BlackLivesMatter,” the group tweeted.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the statement came after K-pop fans united to drown out racist hashtags on Twitter such as #WhiteLivesMatter and even #MAGA by posting messages with nonsensical or anti-racist posts. The move was met with wide approval online early Wednesday morning.
“#WhiteLivesMatter LMAO I WAS READY TO INSULT THE SH– OUT OF EVERYONE,” one poster wrote. “THEN I SAW THAT K-POP STANS ARE DESTROYING THE [hashtag], DAMN NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE THAT HAPPY SEEING K-POP FANCAM”
“Imagine trying to trend #WhiteLivesMatter like a typical racist and Kpop fans said “Not on my watch bitch,’” another wrote.
While some of the posts were met with anger and hostility from people who didn’t get the joke or responded just to the hashtag, far more signaled their approval. At least for a period of time, the posts completely buried nearly all actual racist messages using the hashtag. The fans are likely based in the U.S., as many of them are using American vernacular, and fans based in Korea tend to be less active on Twitter.
The move quite possibly was inspired a social-media snafu that took place less than 24 hours earlier during “Blackout Tuesday” — in which the music industry basically stopped everyday operations to protest police violence against the black community, and strategize on ways to support it.
However, the group did use the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, which people were asked not to do after statements of solidarity began to drown out communication on protests and bail efforts from the organization earlier this week.
