K-Pop International Sensation BTS Release Statement on Recent Spike of Anti-Asian Violence
BTS condemned anti-Asian violence in a recent statement posted to their band’s Twitter profile. The seven-piece Korean boy band expressed their deepest condolences to the family members of AAPI hate crime victims and shared their own feelings of grief and anger towards the situation. This statement comes two weeks after the Atlanta nail salon shootings and addresses the recent spike of anti-asian violence. While the AAPI community has faced discrimination for many years, these recent attacks are a result of the hateful rhetoric surrounding the community due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite being global superstars with billions of fans throughout the globe, BTS is no stranger to discrimination. In the statement, the band says, “We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we looked. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English.” Their loyal fanbase, the ARMY, support these statements given the band’s history in the Western music industry. Most recently, the ARMY shared their feelings of disappointment and frustration in regards to the controversy over BTS’ Grammy appearance. Despite being included in the advertisements, the band did not win their only nomination of the night, thus leading fans to believe that the show is manipulating BTS' fame to gain viewership.
BTS acknowledges that their experiences do not match up to the hate that many other Asians are experiencing recently. They state, “Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that occurred over the past few weeks. But [they] were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem.”
BTS’ statement goes on to encourage the AAPI community to stand against hate and to take pride in their culture by not letting the violence disassociate people from their identities. They end their statement with a very clear call to action: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”
The fact that an international sensation band such as BTS felt compelled to make a statement shows that AAPI hate expands past the borders of the United States, and can be felt worldwide. To view resources to support the AAPI community during this time, please visit our article on how other artists have responded to the recent events.
