What a week it’s been for K-pop stans. Just a few days into April, and the K-pop world is already buzzing with controversies. Several idols have come under fire for accusations of cultural appropriation, sparking heated discussions about respect, representation, and the boundaries between admiration and misappropriation. This ongoing debate raises the question: Does the K-pop industry truly respect Black culture, or just admire it from afar?
Several idols have been accused of cultural insensitivity and using racial slurs in their past content. These incidents have once again reignited calls for greater awareness and accountability in the industry. Here is the list of K-pop artists involved in the controversies:
1. Kiss Of Life (키스 오브 라이프)
If you haven’t been keeping up with recent events, the girl group Kiss of Life held a livestream on 3rd April 2025 to celebrate member Julie (쥴리)’s 25th birthday. The stream followed an “old-school hip-hop” theme, with the members dressed in outfits and accessories typically associated with stereotypical depictions of hip-hop artists.
However, the concept received backlash from fans, many of whom accused the group of racism and cultural appropriation and the livestream was quickly taken down. On 7th April, the group released a handwritten apology, acknowledging their lack of cultural awareness and promising to approach cultural references with more sensitivity moving forward.
2. BLACKPINK Jennie (김제니), Lisa (리사) & Rose (로제)
On 30th March, an individual claiming to be a former YG Entertainment employee began sharing alleged leaked content — including videos, unreleased music, and claims about idols’ relationships. Dubbed the “YG leaker,” they posted clips reportedly showing Blackpink members Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé using the N-word while covering songs as trainees before their 2016 debut. Although the source’s credibility was questioned, the footage spread widely enough for some to create compilations tallying each member’s use of the slur.
And as of today (8th April 2025), fans noticed that all the information about this upcoming tour was absent from YG Entertainment’s website. The upcoming tour is supposed to kick start on 5th July 2025 with some tickets already on sale. Fans are speculating this has to do with the recent controversy.
@cuntyamerican BLACKPINK Members Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé leaked saying N-word in predebut videos #blackpink #racism #blinks #kpop
3. 2NE1’s CL (이채린)
In early April 2025, resurfaced footage allegedly showing CL using the N-word sparked renewed debate over cultural sensitivity within the K-pop industry. Fans voiced their frustration, particularly in light of the industry’s ongoing struggles with such issues. The clip, which re-emerged around the same time as the reported Blackpink leaks, appears to feature CL, who debuted as a member of 2NE1 in 2009—repeatedly singing the N-word while performing a cover.
@offwon1
4. KARD’s BM (비엠)
BM, a member of the co-ed K-pop group KARD, is currently facing backlash after a video surfaced of him lip-syncing to a song using the N-word. In response to the controversy, BM addressed the issue during a TikTok Live session on his personal account, joined by a fan. During the livestream, he issued a public apology, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation and expressing regret for his actions. Fans are saying this is no excuse for him, as he was born and raised in LA and is well informed about the seriousness of the situation.
@praveen_dhanjal Guys what is going on with the kpop industry rn. The timing is crazyyy #bm #kard #kpop #BM #kissoflife #blackpink #foryoupage #foryou #fyp #foruyou
5. from20 (프롬트웬티)/(Raehwan 래환)
Korean singer-songwriter from20 (also known as Raehwan) has faced strong backlash following the release of teaser images for his upcoming single, “Eye Candy”. The controversy centres on the styling in the promotional photos, where the singer is seen wearing a white tank top and matching durag against a bright pink background. Once shared on his agency’s social media, the images quickly drew criticism, with many fans calling out the look as culturally insensitive.
Durags hold deep cultural significance within the Black community, historically used as protective hairwear and later becoming a symbol of Black fashion and identity. When worn by non-Black individuals without recognising their origins or meaning, it is widely regarded as cultural appropriation.
6. GOT7’s Jackson Wang (잭슨/王嘉爾)
Jackson Wang recently appeared on an episode of DIVE Studios’ “Daebak Show”, where he answered a quiz question incorrectly, stood up and walked away, playfully tossing his notebook aside. However, some viewers have suggested that, as he walked off, the idol may have said something that sounded like the N-word. DIVE Studios issued a statement to deny those claims and clarified that the singer actually said the word “Brother”.
Hi everyone — we want to address the serious and misleading allegations currently circulating online regarding a recent clip featuring Jackson on DIVE.
We do not take this situation lightly and want to provide clear context:
1. In the original, unedited clip, Jackson says… pic.twitter.com/H4xEBkGVxw— DIVE Studios (@thedivestudios) April 10, 2025
Sources: Twitter (1)(2), Vulture
Nakhla Sabrina contributed to this article
