BTS take stand against anti-Asian racism, and say they’ve been victims of it themselves
- Superstar K-pop boy band post tweet in English and Korean saying they have felt anti-Asian racism and referring to ‘events … over the past few weeks’
- ‘What’s happening right now cannot be disassociated from our identity as Asians,’ they say. The statement follows the killing of six Asian-Americans in Atlanta
K-pop superstar group BTS have condemned racism against Asians, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in a statement in which they say they’ve experienced it themselves.
“We stand against racial discrimination,” BTS tweeted on Tuesday in English and Korean. The band said their own painful encounters with racism included “expletives” and being “mocked for the way” they look.
“We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence,” the band said in the statement, adding that their experiences made them feel powerless and chipped away at their self-esteem. In February, a German radio station drew ire when a host compared the band to the coronavirus.
The band said that although the discrimination they endured is “inconsequential” compared to “events that have occurred over the past few weeks”, they felt the need to speak out. “What’s happening right now cannot be disassociated from our identity as Asians,” the band said.
Many Asian-Americans believe the Atlanta shootings were racially motivated. Police say they are still trying to determine a motive.
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High-profile stars of Asian descent such as Steven Yeun, Simon Liu and Sandra Oh have been vocal about spreading awareness of anti-Asian violence.
“I am proud to be Asian! We belong here,” Oh shouted into a megaphone at a Stop Asian Hate rally in the US city of Pittsburgh last week.
BTS are one of the first South Korean bands to openly condemn anti-Asian racism. K-pop bands are known to be careful about maintaining personas created by their labels, which often muzzle stars on touchy subjects like race and mental health.
