BLACKPINK’s Jennie Draws Criticism For Cultural Appropriation
BLACKPINK‘s Jennie is the subject of a heated controversy regarding cultural appropriation.
The latest episode of BLACKPINK DIARIES, EP.7, features behind-the-scenes footage of the music video for BLACKPINK’s latest single, “Kill This Love”.
Jennie and Rosé are seen dancing with each other and laughing. They are subsequently joined by Lisa and Jisoo.
You can watch the full scene below, which happens around the 10.00 minute mark in BLACKPINK DIARIES EP 7.
Fans are up in arms over the cultural appropriation displayed by the members of BLACKPINK, and the lack of respect they showed to Indian culture. Fans are particularly angry at how lightly the girls took a respectful and sacred dance.
I suggest the blinks who doesn’t know anything about the culture please know that it’s wrong and you don’t have to say anything about it but just don’t defend anything you’ll make it worse and it’s not good for jennie like at all
— ً (@pastellalisa) April 27, 2019
i was quiet on this matter till now but as an indian, i am highly offended. this ain't it. i learnt bharatanatyam as a kid and it was taught to me that this dance is sacred to us and connects us to god. mocking mudras is beyond limits now and is fuming me.pic.twitter.com/oQ5rJayrGN
— ruru (@listenbts) April 27, 2019
My Mother practiced it for years. I have many cousins teaching/practicing. Bharatnatyam is a scared form of art. This is highly unacceptable behaviour. If you don’t understand a culture just steer clear. Is it too hard to understand?
— Cammy | Persona 🤟🏾 (@20somethingarmy) April 27, 2019
She had done it a few times and it’s not okay, she needs to be acknowledged of what she did and why it’s considered wrong. So blinks with vip tickets and are willing to send the girls letters, pls reply to this tweet and i’ll make a list to make it easier for people to dm you 💞
— ミラ (@kwoniverse) April 27, 2019
since idk if i’ll come back to this acc i have nothing to lose and i’m just gonna say it….i’m indian and to see ppl blindly defend j*nnie for mocking and appropriating desi culture multiple times has hurt me a lot. the jewelry she’s worn is not part of buddhism it’s hindu
— rosé pics (@archivesrosie) April 27, 2019
Bharatnatyam was formed in temples. It's the most hardest dance. Your facial expressions, your hand posture, your legs position…. Everything should be perfect.and It takes years to make everything perfect. each and every dance step has a meaning.
And this moron REALLY just pic.twitter.com/yXADZDcbgy— 🐨 [hiatus] [will be back for bbmas] (@ORPHICJOON) April 27, 2019
The dance in question is the Bharatnatyam, a major genre of Indian classical dance that expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas. It is widely recognised as a sacred dance, and the “mother of Indian dance”.
This isn’t the first time that BLACKPINK has come under fire for cultural appropriation. They received flak for their styling in the music video for “Kill This Love”, where many members had culturally insensitive hairstyles and makeup.
Fans are understandably up in arms, and have been demanding an explanation from YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK themselves. YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK have yet to make a statement about their actions.
