NO, BTS SHOULD NOT BE CALLED ACTIVISTS

No, BTS should No, BTS should NOT be called NOT be called activists activists

Words by Cameron Cook

The members of the South Korean K-pop group, BTS, are seen by many as not just musicians but also social justice activists. At first glance, this seems logical. The group has spoken at the United Nations several times, partnered with UNICEF to end violence, and recently gave an address at the White House to confront the uprise of anti-Asian hate in the United States. BTS fans would point to such instances and celebrate the group’s progressive social justice stance. Yes, I will applaud BTS for their work to elevate anti-racist discourse to the mainstream in the West. However, I will strongly argue that BTS should not and CAN NOT be called simply ‘activists’, but rather ‘activists when it is commercially appropriate’.

Within South Korea, discrimination is rife. Employers often advertise positions outlining conditions including but not limited to; gender, marital status, children, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. To even say that discrimination is an ‘open secret’ is laughable. No one tries to hide their discrimination - it is just ‘open’. LGBTQ+ groups openly have not only their identities but their mere existence attacked and degraded by the powerful Christian elite. Anti-LGTBQ+ discrimination is not on the decline in South Korea - on the contrary, it is becoming further solidified and institutionalised, with vocal homophobes being elected as mayors of the three most populous cities earlier this month. Feminist movements within the country are also constantly pushed back by conservatives, with the recently elected president running on a strong anti-feminist platform. Vocal antifeminists, primarily young men, are firm believers in the illusion of gender equality already existing in Korea. They believe feminists are attacking their identities by fighting for a ‘female supremacy’. Of course, when you look at the statistics, you will quickly realise how ridiculous such claims are. The truth is, South Korea consistently ranks last within the OECD for gender equality.

However, such discrimination in South Korea must not exist, right? I mean - BTS, the great ‘social justice activists’ themselves, don’t speak about such discrimination within their home country, so it must be a non-issue, correct? I mean, surely BTS would speak up if there were such horrendous discrimination actually occurring. The truth is,

though such discrimination does exist - BTS is just not the activist group that their fans and Western commentators like to frame them as.

BTS are vocal on social justice issues in the West because it suits them financially. The ongoing and widespread discrimination in South Korea faced by women, sexual minorities, and foreigners has not once been addressed by the group. Small community groups in South Korea - mainly feminist and LGBTQ+ groups, have been long pushing for the introduction of a South Korean AntiDiscrimination Bill. BTS, the group that only earlier this month spoke to the anti-Asian discrimination in the United States, should, as social justice activists, speak to this issue - right? However, both BTS and its upper management know that fighting against discrimination within South Korea would be terrible for them financially. BTS fight for social justice in the West, where they will receive good reception and positive capital gains but are silent on important issues within South Korea. If BTS were serious about fighting discrimination, they would fight for minority groups regardless of any financial or character damage they may face. Until BTS addresses discrimination within South Korea, they should not be addressed as activists but rather by their true label - capitalists.