In today’s day and age, it’s common knowledge that saying a racist slur is a big no. One pre-debut K-pop group has recently sparked backlash for allegedly using the n-word in their song, prompting a clarification from their agency.
Earlier this week, ChoCo Entertainment’s trainee group, ChoCo1&2, dropped their new song, “GIMME”, under the agency’s musical collective ChoCo Family. The co-ed quartet is composed of members Yechan (예찬), Taejo (태조), Anpan (안판) and Yunjin (윤지), who are trainees under the label and are preparing for their official debut in the future.
Unfortunately, the release is already facing major controversy because of Yechan’s line at the beginning of the track. The K-pop trainee’s opening rap line in the song was “All my neighbours want to know, 내가 누군지 (who am I) I’m gonna show.” However, many argued that his pronunciation of the word “neighbours” sounded alarmingly close to the n-word.
The delivery of lyrics sparked a heated debate on social media. While some defended Yechan and confirmed that the lyric has no racist slur, others claimed that the rapper deliberately pronounced the word to mimic the n-word. Some even questioned the use of the word “neighbours”, arguing that the song could have used other words with a similar meaning.
ChoCo Entertainment has issued a response to the controversy, sharing a video to clarify the lyrics. In the video, Yechan apologised for the issue, revealing that he wrote the lyrics to his rap. He also explained that he had considered many other options for the word “neighbours”. However, he ultimately chose it as it sounded the best and also holds a meaning in Korean.
The video also included a clip of Yechan’s recording of the song to dispel the n-word allegations. Netizens have reacted to Yechan and ChoCo Entertainment’s apology and clarification, once again showing mixed reactions. While some accepted the explanation, others still showed scepticism.
Some netizens also urged Yechan to change the lyrics to avoid further backlash. As of now, it appears there’s no plan to revise the lyrics. In the meantime, fans are expressing support for Yechan amid the controversy.
