BTS "Arirang" Teaser Faces 'Whitewashing' Controversy at Howard University... Backlash from Black Community

Allegations of "Ignoring Historical Context" Over Predominantly White Depiction
"Whitewashing" Accusations Raised on Reddit and Other Online Communities
"BTS Should Have Been More Thoughtful," Criticism Emerges Within the Fandom

The teaser video for BTS's new album "Arirang" has come under criticism for depicting a prominent African American university in the United States from a predominantly white perspective.

On March 24 (local time), U.S. business media outlet Black Enterprise cited opinions from some Black K-pop fans and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) community, pointing out that BTS's new album teaser presented Howard University in a racially inappropriate manner.

In the promotional video for BTS's new album Arirang, seven Korean male characters reminiscent of BTS are shown singing in a setting depicting the campus of Howard University in the United States. Official BTS YouTube channel.

The video is produced in an animated format, showing BTS members singing "Arirang" and then transitioning to a depiction of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in the past. The criticism focuses on the fact that most of the students portrayed in the campus scene are depicted as white.

Howard University, founded in 1867 after the Civil War to expand educational opportunities for Black Americans, remains a leading historically Black university, with about 70% of its student body identifying as Black. The university has played a central role in the American civil rights movement and is a symbolic educational institution that has produced prominent figures such as former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

This teaser is reportedly inspired by historical records indicating that Korean students studying at Howard University in 1896 recorded the Korean traditional song "Arirang." However, some have criticized the teaser for failing to adequately reflect this historical context. On online communities such as Reddit, users have argued that the depiction "whitewashed" Howard University and undermined its historical identity. Many specifically pointed out that only a very small number of Black students were depicted, which was seen as problematic. Some commenters added that the university's historical achievements were not sufficiently highlighted and that "an important moment was overshadowed by album promotion," noting that the portrayal could be considered disrespectful.

BTS has previously acknowledged the influence of Black music genres such as R&B and hip-hop on their work, which has been cited as a factor intensifying the controversy. Black Enterprise analyzed that, given this background, the production failed to resonate with Black Americans. Some fans also expressed disappointment, saying that BTS missed an opportunity to demonstrate respect and solidarity. Meanwhile, this controversy is expected to spark further discussion over the responsibility of global content creators regarding cultural representation and historical context.

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