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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

G-Dragon Apologizes for Racist Lyric on Stage Outfit

From Hankyoreh · (4m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • K-pop star G-Dragon has apologized for wearing an outfit with a racially offensive term during a performance in Macau.
  • The term, 'neger,' is Dutch for 'black' but is considered a derogatory racial slur.
  • G-Dragon's agency stated they would review internal procedures to prevent similar cultural insensitivity in the future.

Big Bang's G-Dragon has issued an apology following controversy over his stage attire, which featured a racially insensitive phrase. The incident occurred during his performance at 'K-Spark in Macau' on May 2nd, where a t-shirt worn by the artist displayed the Dutch phrase 'Ronny, een geile neger jongen,' which translates to 'Ronny, a sexy black boy.' The word 'neger,' while meaning 'black' in Dutch, is widely recognized as a derogatory racial slur and its use has sparked significant backlash from fans globally.

We deeply apologize for the inclusion of phrases in the performance attire that do not align with social and cultural contexts.

— Galaxy Corporation (G-Dragon's Agency)Apologizing for the racially insensitive outfit.

Galaxy Corporation, G-Dragon's agency, released a statement acknowledging the inappropriate nature of the phrase and expressing deep regret. The company emphasized that the inclusion of such a phrase was not aligned with social and cultural contexts. This incident has prompted the agency to commit to a thorough review of its styling and internal procedures to enhance cultural sensitivity and prevent future occurrences. They assured fans that they would proceed with greater caution, respecting the diverse cultural backgrounds of their global audience.

We recognize the importance of cultural sensitivity and prior review through this incident. We will completely reorganize internal review processes, including styling.

— Galaxy Corporation (G-Dragon's Agency)Stating their commitment to improving internal procedures.

The controversy quickly spread across social media platforms, with both domestic and international fans voicing their criticism and demanding an official response. The potential for this issue to escalate into a larger international incident was a significant concern. G-Dragon's apology and his agency's promise to implement stricter internal checks signal a commitment to rectifying the situation and reinforcing a more culturally aware approach to artist representation and performance.

We will proceed more cautiously in a direction that respects global fans from diverse cultural backgrounds. We sincerely apologize once again.

— Galaxy Corporation (G-Dragon's Agency)Reiterating their apology and commitment to cultural respect.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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