Seoul — Top Korean boy band BTS has voiced their support for the Stop Asian Hate movement following a rise in racist attacks against Asian communities in recent months. The septet posted statements in Korean and English on their Twitter page yesterday to send condolences to individuals who lost their loved ones to racial violence, adding that they felt “grief and anger” over the incidents.
BTS members Jimin, Jungkook, Jin, V, RM, Suga, and J-Hope also recalled their experiences of racism as Asian artists promoting their music outside their home country and how painful it was to be exposed to hatred and violence.
“We have endured expletives without reasons and were mocked for the way we look.
“We were even asked why Asians spoke in English.
“Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks, but these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away at our self-esteem,” said BTS.
#StopAsianHate#StopAAPIHate pic.twitter.com/mOmttkOpOt
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) March 30, 2021
The Boy With Luv hitmakers ended their statement with a pledge to stand against racial discrimination and violence. Last year the Stop Asian Hate movement gained traction as the Covid-19 pandemic led to a rise in anti-Asian violence, especially in Europe and the United States.
A white man went on a shooting spree at Asian-owned spas in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier this month, killing eight people, six of whom were women of East Asian descent. Public figures and celebrities spoke up in support of the Asian community following the incident.
The killer claimed that his crimes were motivated by a sex addiction that conflicted with his religious beliefs, which ignited conversations about the fetishisation of Asian women and its roots in colonisation, as reported on Malay Mail Online.
BTS, also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bangtan Boys), consists of seven members. Their ages range from 23 to 28. The boyband debuted under Big Hit Entertainment in Seoul in 2013. BTS is also a backronym for Beyond the Scene in July 2017. Each BTS member co-writes and co-produces their own music and their music style includes a wide range of genres.
BTS released their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool in 2013 followed by US Billboard 200 entries The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2 (2015), The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever (2016 and Wings (2016). Wings was the first BTS album to sell one million copies in South Korea.
In 2017, BTS gained popularity internationally, breaking records, and was the first Korean group to receive a certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with their single Mic Drop./TISG