BHM #25: South Korea has a uniquely complex relationship with Black people. I noticed this as a fan of Korean music, entertainment, and food. Bear with me this time because it's a tricky one to communicate. youtu.be/4kqDCrObl44?... - ThreadSky

shadetooth.bsky.social • 4 hours ago

BHM #25:
South Korea has a uniquely complex relationship with Black people.

I noticed this as a fan of Korean music, entertainment, and food. Bear with me this time because it's a tricky one to communicate.

https://youtu.be/4kqDCrObl44?si=ATSLvxcEa72DpHt7

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shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Firstly, Americans (and other Westerners) tend to struggle with the cultural differences that occur when a country has such a strong national identity as South Korea. Unlike in the US, being born there isn't enough for society to identify you as "Korean".

shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

That being said, Black people have existed in South Korea for a while and the cultural exchange has been uniquely beautiful. And yet individuals still experience harrowing examples of anti-Black racism in South Korea regularly.

shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

If we look at the Korean War (1950-1953), where the US and 14 other countries (including South Africa and Ethiopia) sent fighting units to support South Korea, Black soldiers were an important part of that military force.

shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

There are some historical reports that Korean Fried Chicken took off after the war, in part because the cuisine had been influenced by soul food recipes shared by African American allies during that time. It's hard to say for sure how accurate that is though...

shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

And today one of Korea's biggest exports is it's massive music industry. K-Pop as an art form pulls from a ton of influences, but it's ties to Black music and culture are especially strong and visible. This is a powerful combo that sometimes crosses the line into appropriation.

shadetooth.bsky.social•4 hours ago

There are examples of K-Pop artists performing in black-face, saying the N-word, and taking vocals and choreography from Black artists without crediting or paying them.

The line between understandable and unacceptable is often blurry, but not in those cases.

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