International ARMYs Are Calling Korean ARMYs Out On Their Alleged Racism
Korean ARMYs and International ARMYs usually get along really well and are known throughout the different K-Pop fandoms for their strong friendships, but some recent posts made by a fan cafe have left a really bad taste in international ARMYs mouths and they are not being quiet about it.
K army and I army we are one 💕💕 pic.twitter.com/QhFKRE1FgW
— 조세핀 (@jinjo96) September 6, 2017
It started with some posts accusing Black ARMYs of stealing and leaking videos of BTS. The fan cafe was run by someone who was claiming that they were a Korean ARMY.
When the fan cafe was reported for its racism, it was shut down. Unfortunately, that seemed to further provoke the fan cafe owner and they let loose a whole string of racial slurs.
The very obvious racist remarks soon caught the attention of international ARMYs who decided that the fan cafe owner had gone way too far. They began tweeting out with the hashtag #karmy인종차별.
Today K-ARMYs showed their true colors. First calling us beggars/poor for things we didn't do and then blaming BLACK ARMYs for leaking fc content by calling us niggers and darkies .
Am done #karmy인종차별— 🇸🇴 JOONIE IS MY B💜BY (@imurhoepee) July 14, 2018
I am an African American
Not trashy
A darkie
"Ghetto"
Or what ever yall stereotype us as
I AM A SMART YOUNG BLACK LADY PROUD TO BE AN ARMY AND IT WILL NOT CHANGE. MY RACE IS BEAUTIFUL
#karmy인종차별— Ali♡ (@unrulyalize) July 14, 2018
y’all have to learn to address the fact that YALL ARE RACIST! and sometimes it isn’t even purposefully, but when we try to educate you, y’all get disrespectful and defensive instead of learning and owning up to it. #karmy인종차별
— g (@cosmicsope) July 15, 2018
Racism is not something you just ignore, brush off, "Get over". And please don't make excuses about the culture being different. They are not dumb. We stand and fight when our boys are wronged or attacked so why can't we stand and fight for one another? Racism + #karmy인종차별
— Dawnie (@Sweetest_Love04) July 14, 2018
“인종 차별” is Korean for “racial discrimination” and soon the hashtag was trending with many, many I-ARMYs voicing their disapproval of racism in the fandom.
black armys deserves so much love and respect in this fandom you guys don’t deserve any of the slander and hate you get, every single one of you are so loved and important to this fandom please never ever forget that you guys deserve so much more appreciation #karmy인종차별
— ً (@jeonelysium) July 14, 2018
"Age and gender, nationality and religion, what language you use – all of that isn't important to me." ― Min Yoongi
Just gonna leave this here. Let's take some notes and keep learning and growing up together!
love yourself, love myself, peace 💜#karmy인종차별
— maggie (@nouiscrist) July 14, 2018
some of you k-armys may have forgotten that namjoon said, “like the rainbow i don’t care if you’re red, blue, orange, green, purple whatever” so let me remind you and if you don’t agree you really can’t call yourself army can u #karmy인종차별 pic.twitter.com/JO7heml4Rf
— 𝒿 (@starryhoeseok) July 15, 2018
Around this time a new hashtag emerged. Netizens started using #ArmyLovesArmy to show that everyone can be an ARMY regardless of where you come from or the color of your skin.
Our fandom isn't perfect we all know that but if you put down other armys because of anything, especially skin color, you're not an army. Support each other don't spread negativity, spread positivity.
Love all armys, love all skin colors
Embrace your diversities💕#ArmyLovesArmy— yoongi (@66yoongss) July 15, 2018
we are a great family.#ArmyLovesArmy pic.twitter.com/eECdnqhcd4
— jiminparkkk (@mochisexy00) July 15, 2018
We never walk alone~
K-ARMY, I-ARMY and BTS
We're a big family, perfect family and we always love each other 💕#ArmyLovesArmy pic.twitter.com/qLg4vEqz2y— Luna (@minzine_luna) July 15, 2018
But some ARMYs thought the new hashtag was a way to undermine #karmy인종차별.
#ArmyLovesArmy is the ideal tag. But unfortunately #karmy인종차별 is the reality. Black/POC ARMY have endured A LOT, almost on a constant basis. Don't pretend that they don't. Please listen to their anger, their concerns, and try to understand.
— Susana Solano 🎵🔥 (@sweet_cheekums) July 15, 2018
Im sorry but this #/ArmyLovesArmy is far from true & it’s disrespectful to the people trending #karmy인종차별 because youre silencing their voices. Black army want to be heard, by trending the other hashtag it’s not bringing light to the situation at hand which is racism in army
— Eek!-Ah (@mydimpleshurt) July 15, 2018
I understand the need to use love to overpower negativity but trending #ArmyLovesArmy now is taking away from #karmy인종차별 issue. We can't solve the problem if we don't face it. That is not how we do it in this fandom. No one gets a free pass. Not BTS, not BigHit, not ARMY.
— Dimple | A Namkanda Citizen (@bangtanism89) July 15, 2018
Then some other netizens stepped in and released some news that showed the fan cafe owner and anyone else that had added to the racist remarks were very likely antis or trolls trying to create drama before BTS’s August release.
I can't speak for the groupchat one, but are we sure the anons are definitely Army? pic.twitter.com/H7dIsZp8qL
— °3° [napping] (@chimchiminy_) July 14, 2018
The news that it might actually be an attempt to split the fandom seemed to immediately put out the worst of the fire, although many international ARMYs still thought BigHit Entertainment should look into and address the issue of racism.
So, @bts_bighit @BigHitEnt @BTS_twt Y'all going to talk abt the racism going on in this fandom orr just pretend like its not happening#karmy인종차별 pic.twitter.com/EknnaujyAp
— Brooke (@bginger03) July 15, 2018
#karmy인종차별 and you know what. I DO hope namjoon sees this hashtag. I hope ALL OF THEM DO. I HOPE BIGHIT SEE THIS. Hopefully they will come on here and tell karmy's to STOP acting like animals.
— FUCK ALL THAT BANGTAN SONYEONDAN SHIT ! (@hestaehope) July 14, 2018
But through it all, there were numerous Korean ARMYs that took their fellow fans’ words to heart and issued a sincere apology for any mistreatment that may have been made by other Korean ARMYs.
I am an K-ARMY, living in the US. I want to say sorry for all the K ARMIES who is causing trouble. A lot of guys don’t know this, but Korea( only some) doesn’t take racist seriously. They should know how to respect. I am very sorry for hurting you guys. #karmy인종차별 pic.twitter.com/06FyvS8To3
— I like Jimin’s Ass (@Chimm_jimm) July 14, 2018
Annyeong Haseyo..
This is Minsoo aka your k-army that will be your friend in everything. I'm saying sorry already to the entire fandom who went through a bad situation earlier about some of my fellow KARMYs. All of you are beautiful no matter what you are. #karmy인종차별
— ARMY Center (@BTS_APFC) July 15, 2018
— Sarah Lee (@SarahLee93012) July 14, 2018
Even if BigHit Entertainment hasn’t looked into the issue yet, international ARMYs know that there are plenty of Korean ARMYs who will stick up for them and love them like family. So you can still say that ARMYs have one of the best friendships around. BTS would be proud!
