WHEN BTS, PRIYANKA CHOPRA, STRAY KIDS FACED RACISM IN THE WEST | COMPLETE OVERVIEW
Stray Kids debuted at the Met Gala 2024 on Tuesday. All the band members, including Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N, attended the big event. With this, Stray Kids became the first ever Kpop group to debut at the Met Gala. The boy band posed in front of the paparazzi in all styles, but it seemed like the latter took them too lightly, resulting in a global outrage online.
A video which went viral saw the paps laughing and passing indecent comments at the band members. The paps could be heard saying, “I've never seen so many emotionless faces before, they look like robots, now we have to do it again? (when they turned for pics) how do you say ‘red’ in Korean, ok now jump.”
The incident served as a poignant reflection on the numerous instances South Asian artists have publicly addressed the racism they've encountered in Western countries. From high-profile figures like Priyanka Chopra to global music sensations such as BTS, it's clear that no one, regardless of their fame, has been exempt from such discriminatory experiences.
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra, famed for her role in 'Citadel,' has encountered considerable criticism and racism in Western countries. This has been notably centered around her marriage to Nick Jonas and her ventures in Hollywood.
She disclosed an incident where she was turned down for a film role due to her "dusky" skin tone, highlighting the colorism she has faced within the industry.
She also shared experiences of racism that began during her high school years in the West, illustrating a long history of dealing with racial prejudice.
Additionally, she opened up about the backlash she received for her debut song 'In My City.' The song's reception included racial comments, adding to her challenges in the international music scene.
BTS
During various interviews and public appearances, the members of the group have faced questions that were either stereotypical or outright offensive, targeting their ethnicity and cultural background.
There have been reported incidents where the members encountered racist comments or inappropriate behaviour directed at them by certain segments of their fanbase or by representatives of the media.
The BTS also opened up about the racism it faced in the West. The statement read, “We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians. We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English. We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason.”
The issue of racism and discrimination in the West is not confined to just one or two high-profile individuals; it is a widespread problem that affects numerous artists from diverse backgrounds. Celebrities such as Mindy Kaling, Dev Patel, Avantika, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Eric Nam have all shared their own experiences of facing racial prejudice and discriminatory attitudes at various times. These artists have publicly spoken about the challenges they have encountered, ranging from stereotypical roles being offered to them, to facing outright racism in their personal and professional lives.