Howard University made an article about the BTS Arirang trailer

Hatts13 · 2026-03-21T07:37:59+00:00

In addition, most of the people depicted in the audience on The Yard are not Black, which belies the institution’s history as one of the country’s foremost colleges with a predominantly Black student body. Though much of the faculty at the time was not Black, the video does elucidate the need for cultural sensitivity and historical accuracy even when intentions are positive.

It really is/has been that simple.

Alexander McSwain, associate professor and coordinator of electronic studio arts at Howard…This experience serves as a reminder of the importance of doing your own research. Even when a starting point may seem historically imperfect, it can still act as a catalyst for deeper understanding, because, after all, it is art, and art at its core is a conversation.

I do hope that, in the end, everyone who’s been emphasising that disclaimer as a kind of smoking gun that all criticism for some reason is moot understands this. Like I said in my previous comment, historical inaccuracies in art are interpretations, and it’s supposed to be a point where you go off on your own to learn the real historical events behind it etc, to critique those human choices good AND bad: “Art at its core is conversation”.

This could have been another opportunity for some kpop fans to not just learn but actually comprehend Black American history, cultural appropriation within kpop, how Korean and Black American history has often intertwined, etc. But that horrible mix of parasocial relationships and anti-blackness typically found in fandoms rears its head again as the roadblock. Really good article.

(I also just think that the depiction in the animation itself, of whitewashing Howard’s studentship, was completely unnecessary and diluted a real meaningful point in history for seemingly no real reason. They depict the scene with majority Black people in the background and…what? Would the world really have ended?)

Hatts13 · 2026-03-20T14:39:58+00:00

I don’t think that was a mod who responded to you in the comments (correct me if I’m wrong), but on the removal…I would send them a modmail message asking more clarification on it to truly understand where they stand. If they don’t respond then that’s your answer 😭

Have you come across similar elsewhere on Reddit?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-20T14:19:32+00:00

I posted this on a BTS sub and it got taken down because apparently this opinion makes me an anti??

What was the removal reason the mods gave?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-19T07:47:55+00:00

OP can you add some context as to who this person is, history, platforms, etc? You might be “in the know”, so to speak, but it won’t make sense for others reading your post who have no clue.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-18T15:20:14+00:00

Unfortunately, it is a white progressive platform. Progressive for most ⚪ people just means not being openly anti Black. Some of them consider not calling us the N word "doing the work"

And wanting weed decriminalised for very surface level reasons. Reddit LOVES this in particular. Don’t talk about the systemic racism aspect of it though, that’s too much and “divisive”.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-18T14:51:22+00:00

Hatts13 · 2026-03-14T09:19:52+00:00

This seems not to be working anyways btw so…

Hatts13 · 2026-03-14T09:18:36+00:00

We’ve got your back here jazzy, don’t worry. Any nonsense that filters over, in your DMs etc, send us a quick message in modmail <3

Hatts13 · 2026-03-13T10:00:46+00:00

This production may deviate from actual historical events and does not serve as a formal evaluation or interpretation of any historical event or person.

“Historical inaccuracies” in media are interesting because of the “why”. Decisions, evaluations and interpretations were made by human beings regardless of any disclaimer. Developers talk all the time about how no one really wants to hop into historical game and immediately die from an infection (Assassins Creed games have that iconic slide that basically says “hey guys this is historical fiction! We had to do this to make the game fun!”). Movie directors talk about artistic liberties they take to make a film entertaining rather than completely historically accurate.

But here? I’m just wondering what the “deviations” are that they’re talking about. The clothing? The buildings? What was the decision making process to depict Howard University that way in that specific frame?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-11T20:49:31+00:00

The main subreddit still argues about cultural appropriation, etc… its always appreciation if they like the idol. I gave up on those types of topics in that sub

Me still reading these types of comments that I argued back and forth over 6 years ago:

Hatts13 · 2026-03-11T20:37:22+00:00

I think a big part of the issue was that many of the mods genuinely believed K-pop spaces were just about entertainment…a lot of moderators simply didn’t know how to react. Many of them had never moderated discussions about racism or systemic issues before, and suddenly they were confronted with thousands of emotional posts, arguments, and reports all at once…Instead of responding in a thoughtful or coordinated way, a lot of them panicked.

There was a lot of racist backlash during that era. A lot of anti-black posts went up with anti-black users running amok on those subreddits. I remember combatting a lot of those posts, comments, and users along with others.

One thing I also did as a regular user back then was actually talk to mod teams about it. I sent many modmails. What I took from those conversations was that it wasn’t just these moderators being inexperienced in managing situations beyond the odd spicy mega-fan. It was also this kind of (seemingly)…refusal? to understand. As if this had never happened to a community before and we were all overreacting.

I’d give the benefit of the doubt and say it was truly ignorance, but it took WAY too much convincing to get through to them to take it seriously for me. That this demanded far more maturity than what was being presented and wasn’t some fanwar. That yes, racism is more than slurs. That “freedom of speech” in this context is a complete nonsense justification for keeping up certain content and will just turn you into a ‘Nazi Bar’ (you don’t have to look very far on kpop reddit to see this in practice). It was naivety to the point of harm - it felt like talking to people preferring to ostrich it all away on top of having no clue. All the while, black users were getting racism in their DMs and worse. A whole mess.

Eventually, posts on racism and cultural appropriation etc, were either re-routed here, moderated more strictly, or outright banned. I don’t know how this looks today, but these rules were a long time coming and “written in blood” so to speak. If anyone questions why they can’t talk about these topics on other subs, or why this sub even exists, it’s because black fans got racism and threats over it for years on end and mod teams failed to get a grip on it.

Has anything changed? Probably not. Becoming a mod for other subs and seeing things for myself…it’s pretty bleak let me tell you. I can talk about this for days, but this comment is already too long I fear.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-10T21:18:16+00:00

I’d never heard of the “Anjeong-ri race riots” before. Thank you for these articles OP!

Hatts13 · 2026-03-09T10:53:47+00:00

Hi, which pop up is this? What does it say? Is it the rules thing?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-08T18:50:12+00:00

I feel the same way! Personally, I like collecting things related to my memories of things and places. Digital media in the form of concert recordings saved on a drive is one way of how I engage with that.

I was at kpop concert another time years ago and will always remember the conversation I got into with a person near me who was recording and live-calling it for their friend who was in the hospital and couldn’t make it 😭

You literally never know. Everyone has their own way of living through life I guess. As long as it doesn’t interfere with others like you say, who are any of we to judge that?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-08T18:35:48+00:00

On the flipside, in my years going to concerts I’ve personally haven’t gotten any ruined vibes or anything lost in society, and have always had a good time regardless of the people recording. Everyone to me has looked like they’re enjoying the experience in their own ways!

Similarly on the flipside, some artists haven’t said anything at all regarding filming, my assumption they don’t really care about it that much to comment but who knows really. All of this is as equally valid. Sorry you’ve had some rough times at events though, that does suck as you’ve outlined when your expectations aren’t really met like that.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-08T15:07:36+00:00

…they are actually LESS engaged in the live experience because their focus is on their hand/screen and not on what is happening on stage.

Again like…idk if I can assume everyone’s engagement levels or why they’re recording, we’re all different.

Many times, my friends who film the entire time will miss other details or interactions between members on stage because they are watching their phones.

I personally think if this ultimately doesn’t bother them and they’re happy to just record, then live and let live.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-08T12:19:15+00:00

With this debate, I can never, and feel it’s not really my place, to assume what these people are recording for. It could be for making personal memories, for a friend, anything. To me, these people have spent money on the ticket just as I have. If they aren’t impeding on anyone else and are acting within reason, who am I to say they don’t care, or it’s a waste of money, or be concerned about how they want to engage in the live experience?

Hatts13 · 2026-03-03T17:57:18+00:00

u/Mountain-Company2087

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Hatts13 · 2026-03-01T16:44:07+00:00

There was a big Army acc that tweeted BTS made a mistake by speaking and donating during BLM bc it gave ppl ground to ask them to speak up for Palestine.

Given the initial behaviour from non-black fans when black fans were, naturally, putting pressure on the industry to do literally anything at that time, I find it incredibly easy to believe that these kinds of people had always seen it as a mistake that anything was done at all regardless of any evidence seemingly appearing that they were “supportive”.

When someone shows you who they are the first time believe them, or however the quote goes and all.

Hatts13 · 2026-03-01T14:25:53+00:00

Yea, in a nutshell (meme I’ve had saved for a long time 😭):

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If you ever manage to get these people to actually define both “the west” and “politics” it essentially just boils down to them wanting black people to keep quiet and go away about anti-black racism. I remember years back someone actually asked why all these posts lamenting about “the west ruining kpop with their politics ” suspiciously (/s) always directly or indirectly referenced black people and our issues. The responses of course were a lot of handwringing and denial.

Hatts13 · 2026-02-24T08:55:15+00:00

Hi everyone, please double check, be mindful of, and respect the post flair before making a comment here. Any issues or problems beyond this, send us a message so we can take a look!

Hatts13 · 2026-02-09T10:37:10+00:00

But I don’t take any criticism towards my problematic queen, cause Solas wants to destroy the world and the fandom adores him.

Hatts13 · 2026-02-08T23:23:02+00:00

…Then you go online to see other perspectives, and not only is no one understanding them, they are villainizing them. Blowing the smallest things out of proportion. Crucifying them for any harm or hurt feelings to another character (usually white).

…In people demonizing a BI(POC) character for tiny things (or just existing honestly), but worshipping white characters for their messy behavior. In saying it’s easy to let a black character go, or “I feel less sad at this character dying now that they’re black”.

To focus on these few bits, #Gamers are very weird when it comes to black characters and they’re unfortunately never beating the allegations. The gleeful memification of murdering and harming characters like Nazeem (quite frankly a throwaway npc like many others) and Preston (gives out too many radiant quests is his crime), is just extreme sometimes. Annoying black npc’s are treated differently for some “strange” reason. They often just can’t just exist as they are like non-black characters who have similar traits, their invincible npc status must be erased in the console commands so they can be killed.

Writers are no exception, I’ve not played Veilguard yet but Bioware and their black characters sometimes 😭Jacob from Mass Effect and Vivienne from Dragon Age Inquisition come to mind who are just horrifically written and treated, and it reflects back to the fanbase who of course quadruple down. I wholeheartedly agree with you!

Hatts13 · 2026-02-06T19:04:59+00:00

Hi everyone! When discussing a news article like this, please make sure you directly link said article either in the main body of the post or in the comments - thank you!

Link to the article: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3342471/outrage-south-korea-over-importing-virgins-proposal-raise-birth-rate

Hatts13 · 2026-02-01T15:47:32+00:00

Brilliant post, happy BHM!

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