When someone romanticises aspects of a particular race, it can sometimes lead to them adopting that race’s appearance. While such behaviour often goes unnoticed, it tends to spark controversy, especially when public figures or idols are involved, raising debates around cultural appropriation.
On 8th June (Sunday), South Korean entertainment agency THEBLACKLABEL (더블랙레이블) introduced their new co-ed group, “ALLDAY Project.” However, one member, Tarzzan (타잔), quickly drew attention from netizens due to his Instagram posts, where he is frequently seen wearing braids and adopting aesthetics commonly associated with Black culture.
The “ALLDAY Project” consists of five members: Annie (앤니), Tarzzan (타잔), Bailey (베일리), Woochan (우찬), and Youngseo (영서). Some of the members already have notable recognition. Bailey, for instance, won the Arena Awards in 2019; Annie is known as the granddaughter of the chairman of the Samsung Group; Woochan was originally set to debut with the now-cancelled group Trainee A, and Youngseo was originally set to debut as a member of ILLIT (아일릿).
Lee Chae-won (이채원), known by his stage name Tarzzan, began his career as a model, debuting at the 2022 Seoul Fashion Week. He previously worked under YG Entertainment’s subsidiary YGKPLUS. He made his first appearance in the music industry through NJZ’s (엔제이지) “Supernatural” music video.
Following the news of his debut, Tarzzan sparked debate with his appearance and stage name. Netizens are questioning why the soon-to-debut idol is allowed to maintain his cornrow hairstyle, arguing that it’s cultural appropriation. Many also find his “Tarzzan” stage name offensive, lamenting that it’s a mockery towards African-Americans.
What was meant to be a promising debut is now facing early backlash. Criticism and controversy have quickly taken over the conversation, and fans fear this might overshadow their official debut on 23rd June (Monday). Some also worry it could hurt the group’s future in the long run. What are your thoughts on this?
Zaima Humaria contributed to this article
