K-Pop Stans Speak Out After MTV Creates Separate K-Pop Category For VMAs
The MTV Video Music Awards nominations on Tuesday prompted some controversy over the awards ceremony’s new category.
MTV announced a new, separate category for “Best K-pop” act, prompting massive backlash from fans who claim the new grouping is racist.
@vmas thank you for introducing the new category "best kpop" just so asian artists don't mix with westerners & western artists can get the main awards. you've just proven how xenophobia runs in the western industry's blood and your racist ass is ugly asf #VMA #VMAs #VMASracist
— june | earth has namjoon (@jeonchaeng97) July 23, 2019
Several hashtags, including #VMAsRacist and #VMAsXenophobic, began trending on Twitter, with K-pop stans arguing that MTV was segregating the acts so they wouldn’t compete with Western talent.
Some fans felt that the category represented an effort to paint K-pop acts as niche when their work is well worthy of mainstream competition. Others pointed out that many K-pop acts have proven themselves to be formidable opponents on the charts. Several also noted that other international acts weren’t subject to a separate grouping.
it shouldn’t just be armys mad about this it should be all the kpop fandoms bc this is a dismissal and a cop out. If these artists are charting the same as western artists why are the sent to a whole nother catergory the prob won’t even be announced #VMAs pic.twitter.com/0OadSUtOR2
— 𝓂𝒽𝒾𝒶 (@moonchilee) July 23, 2019
vmas made a whole separate category for kpop because they didnt want asian artists to mingle with western artists and steal the spotlight theyve had for years even though bts have excelled over everyone else in 2019 by leaps and bounds hhh call it what it is: xenophobia
— 🏳️🌈 jo ll txt roty (@CINNAMONJOONIE) July 23, 2019
exactly. 1D didn’t get their own “british pop” category, and 5sos don’t have an “aussie pop” category, so why is kpop singled out? 🤔🤔🤔 #VMAsXenophobic #VMAsRacist https://t.co/IqdNaqpM3P
— mare 🍯🧸💖 (@honeybear_myg) July 23, 2019
not vmas opening a whole new category for kpop artists cuz they don’t want idols to win video of the year when they’re the one breaking all the records on youtube lmao
— ً (@tearslalisa) July 23, 2019
K-pop group BTS received four nominations on Tuesday, including one in the new category. Several Twitter users cited the band’s continuous success in the Western market as proof that K-pop acts shouldn’t be isolated.
Last year, BTS became the first K-pop group to go gold, certified by the Recording Industry Association of America, with the single “Mic Drop” remix with Steve Aoki, featuring rapper Desiigner. The group has nabbed “Top Social Artist” several years in a row at the Billboard Music Awards as well.
#VMAsracist #VMAsxenophobic It doesn’t matter what country the music came from! F your Kpop category @BTS_twt is constantly breaking records and they just won top group at the bbmas 🙄 pic.twitter.com/tXnYGHMGsZ
— Jin Bless (@byjin7) July 23, 2019
they had to prevent bts from winning all their categories so they make up a completely different one. just don’t nominate them at all it would be less embarrassing #vmasracist #vmasxenophobic
— sof (@sceneryth) July 23, 2019
once again bts are nominated in a kpop category and omitted from the main awards, the racist are at it again, only adding BTS so they can get the clout and view from armies🤡 #VMAs #vmasisoverparty #vmasxenophobic pic.twitter.com/bIXwbmRSCB
— 𝑻𝑸𝑬_𝑽 | 🏹 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀 ○・.°○・. (@tqe_v) July 23, 2019
American mass media please see this and point out the unfairness of excluding BTS despite their accomplishments. Also, this isn't just about BTS. It's about supporting non-western artists and teaching people that's it's not ok to discriminate. #VMAsRacist #VMAsXenophobic
— Michelle 📌 GA (@rephangirl4ever) July 24, 2019
how is bts the fifth best selling artists in the US rn and have the best selling album worldwide but are only nominated for “best collaboration” and “best kpop” @vmas
— jess (@butjesswhy) July 23, 2019
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
