Learning a new language is difficult, but it’s even more frustrating when native speakers refuse to help or make little to no effort to understand you while you’re struggling. Sadly, K-pop idols often face these kinds of situations while on tour, and sometimes, it’s blatant racism.
SEVENTEEN are currently on their [NEW_] World Tour in the United States, and during their free time, the members went out exploring, as any tourist would. Member Seungkwan (부승관) recently held a livestream where he shared his experience of ordering a drink at a café. He claimed that the barista had trouble understanding him, but fans suspect that was not the case. Here’s why:
During the broadcast, Seungkwan demonstrated how he had ordered his drink in English, explaining that he had been practising hard to pronounce every word clearly. The idol told the barista that he wanted an iced Americano, but when the drink arrived, it contained almond milk instead. He looked visibly frustrated as he recounted the story. Viewers asked him to repeat how he ordered his drink, which he did, and he wondered whether he should have mentioned “decaf” when ordering earlier.
That moment during the livestream quickly went viral, with fans suspecting that the barista may have been racist. Many remarked that the singer spoke clearly and suggested that the barista had only pretended to struggle to understand him. Others shared similar experiences of their time in the US, claiming that some people there tend to view Asians, particularly tourists, as inferior simply because they are not fluent in the language. Some chose not to assume the worst and suggested that either the café may have been too loud for the barista to hear the idol, or that the barista was new and genuinely didn’t know how to prepare his drink.
Sadly, there’s no way to know whether the barista was truly being racist or if it was a genuine mistake. Regardless, it’s unfortunate that Seungkwan did not have a pleasant experience at the café, but we hope that he and the rest of SEVENTEEN enjoy the remainder of their tour in the US. Have you ever had a similar experience while travelling abroad?
Here’s the viral clip:
@mbooshua Seungkwan learning English with carats #seventeen #세븐틴 #seungkwan #kpopfypシ #new_
