K-pop Appears in Colombia Anti-Government Protests...SNS Flooded with Idol Photos

Local Fans Attach Idol Photos to Anti-Protest Hashtags
Voluntary 'Disruption Operation' by Local Youths to Prevent Pro-Government Opinion Formation

A K-pop fan's tweet with hashtags opposing the Colombia protests and supporting the police

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] In Colombia, where nationwide general strike protests have been ongoing for nearly 20 days, posts featuring photos or videos of K-pop stars on the social networking service (SNS) Twitter have surged significantly.

On the 16th (local time), El Pais reported this, noting that these posts include hashtags such as "Stop the strike now," "Support our police," and "End the lockdown."

On the 15th (local time), large-scale anti-government protests are taking place in Bogot?, the capital of Colombia. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The background behind Colombian K-pop fans posting such content is said to be in support of the protests in Colombia, contrary to the hashtags.

Earlier this month, former President Alvaro Uribe expressed support via Twitter for the use of weapons by military and police forces at protest sites. As a right-wing politician and mentor to current President Iv?n Duque, his remarks sparked domestic and international criticism amid a situation where over 40 people have died due to police crackdowns.

A K-pop fan's tweet with hashtags opposing the Colombia protests and supporting the police

However, as concerns arose that resentment toward the protests could grow, especially among supporters of the still influential former President Uribe, K-pop fans stepped in.

Fans began flooding posts with hashtags like "Uribe is right," "Uribe's voice is our voice," and "Support the police." This was not because they agreed with Uribe's statements, but rather as a preemptive "disruption operation" to prevent public opinion from siding with Uribe and fostering hatred toward the protesters.

A K-pop fan's tweet with hashtags opposing the Colombia protests and supporting the police

Thanks to their efforts, anti-protest hashtags quickly rose to the top of the trends, but when users clicked on these hashtags, they saw not posts opposing the protests and supporting the police, but photos of K-pop stars.

When a conservative commentator claimed that "adolescent K-pop fans are disrupting Twitter trends that reflect the country's reality" and called for the account to be reported and shut down, the daily El Tiempo described the claim as "absurd."

The protests in Colombia, which began over the government's push for tax reform, have expanded into widespread demonstrations against poverty, inequality, and violence. Initially led by workers, young people have actively participated.

On the 14th (local time), clashes broke out between protesters and police in a city in Colombia.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

This is not the first time K-pop fans have demonstrated their online influence at protest sites. During the Chilean inequality protests in October 2019, K-pop fans posted many supportive tweets on Twitter such as "Chile has awakened," and later, the Chilean government released a report naming K-pop fans as one of the forces influencing the protest situation, which drew heavy criticism.

During last year's U.S. racial discrimination protests, K-pop fans also attached photos and videos of K-pop to hashtags mocking the protests, such as "White lives matter too," thereby disrupting the spread of anti-protest public opinion.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.