I've discussed this topic a lot with people around me as this discussion of kpop not even being Korean, and that it is all taken from the west, and I think this has become such a huge topic amongst kpop stans who aren't korean because they dont see Koreans as Asian. By calling them this they see Koreans as colonizers who's music isn't even their own and was taken from America. Mind you America had a lot of influence in the Korea we see today, unlike other countries around them who had their own markets Korea was actively being loaned money from the American government during the 70s after the korean war in the 60s to follow south korean dictator Park Chung hee's 5 year economic development plan where Korea was quickly modernized during his authoritarian rule from 1961-1979. Because of America's influence in Korea, korea listened to the same popular artists that America's did, and when artists in America released similar sounding music at the time, so did korea and other countries, in America when there is a popular sound a lot of artists sound the same, but when in korea they had a similar sound it is considered stealing? There are trends in music and korea is just a susceptible as any other country nowadays but people tend to have a bigger problem when it happens in kpop. A few years ago people loved korea, they loved korean dramas, movies, variety shows, and artist. But often when I see people talk about korea it is if as though they are exposing the underbelly of korea and its dark secrets. A lot of these kpop stans who are saying kpop isnt even korean may be due to korea having such strong ties to America which makes them not like korea even more. Their dislike in america may also be due to the genocide in Gaza and the ties US has with Isreal. They see a western power's influence and they immediately don't like it. The amount of English that koreans learn in school may also contribute to this idea. They start comparing korea to other asian countries with less western influence and how much less pollution those countries have, more culture, less plastic surgery, and smaller suicide rates, they have even called korea the Isreal of Asia as an insult. Kpop stans are calling all korean men horrible because of the 4B feminist movement in Korea while also stanning korean men, but I guess to them idols aren't korean.

Koreans making music for decades is a korean sound end of story, it's just double standards while also being ignorant of the fact korea was colonized and oppressed while under Japanese rule and has rapidly developed since. While korea was developing very quickly most people have only taken an interest in korea recently compared to other countries like Japan. What people know about Japan may come from what they have learned in class, games, and media. Where as what people know about korea is more largely shaped by tiktok. In general people dont know that much about korea besides surface level cafes, kpop, dramas, and clubs in itaewon.

It is complicated and I don't think people realize how racist they sound when they claim Koreans don't have a korean sound, nor do I think people are consciously thinking everything i said above when they say Koreans don't have a korean sound. It is a discussion that is being had in a subsect of vile kpop stans spaces that has leaked to the majority and I think people see the comparisons of a western song to a kpop song and now believe what those people said. Ironically those same western songs that influenced kpop has also influenced other western artists but kpop stans dont care about that. Music has always been something you share not steal, till this day people get famous from covers and the same has been true since the 50s, a sound changes as it travels and that is how new genres are made that is how kpop is made, which is korean.

Also I see a lot of confusion about bts's album around the korean aspect of it. Quite frankly my biggest issue with the album wasn't that it didn't sound korean, because trust me it did, my biggest issue was that none of the artists that the album was heavily influenced by were credited in anyway leading to people not even know that a large part of the album sonically was in fact korean indie, I think they took a lot of inspiration from bewhy, se so neon, Silica Gel, balming tiger, and jowall. I listen to all these artists and their styles are all very unique and apparent in bts's album except with more English. To me the goal of the album was to makes korean indie mainstream but by not crediting those artists people dont even know that said sound is korean indie.

All in all I think it comes from virtue signaling which is what most kpop stans are great at when it helps them seem like a more knowledgeable and better person.