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On Friday, December 1, The New York Times posted a podcast about Jungkook, BTS, and Korean artists. It resulted in backlash from fans who thought it was mocking the Korean artists for singing in English.
The podcast, hosted by Jon Caramanica, featured an anonymous guest identified as Kara. The podcast's description stated: "A conversation about K-pop's long march to American awareness and the potential risks of that embrace."
Following its release, The New York Times faced backlash from fans who accused the podcast of promoting racist and xenophobic comments about K-pop, Jungkook, and other Korean artists who sing in English.
Fans also accused Kara of suggesting that Korean artists are overshadowing Western artists by singing English songs.
They took to social media to express their outrage, accusing the outlet of blatant xenophobia and racism.
"I'm so mad for this': Fans want New York Times to address the alleged racist comments about Jungkook, K-pop, and other artists
During the podcast, Kara made a remark about why she would listen to a Korean singer imitating Justin Timberlake when she could simply listen to Justin Timberlake himself.
She allegedly referred to Jungkook's songs as "trash" and stated that Korean men are not mere copies of white men. Her comments sparked outrage among fans who accused her of xenophobia and racism.
Kara reportedly stated:
"Why would I listen to a Korean man singing like Justin Timberlake when I can just listen to Justin Timberlake? Is this 'Korean man' not a product? He's not some carbon copy of a white man? How the hell did this trash get approved? Especially without any voices from a Korean?"
Fans speculated that Kara's comments were a veiled insult towards the Jungkook, especially since he had recently released the song 3D (feat. Jack Harlow) which some fans had compared to Justin Timberlake's music.
Kara, who fans claimed to be a long-time fan of SM Entertainment artists, also stated that BTS had initiated all of their collaborations, implying that other artists were not as actively seeking out partnerships.
She further remarked that second-generation K-pop artists had more genuine collaborations which fans interpreted as a dig at BTS's collaborations with Western artists.
Kara stated that BTS singing in English was "a step too far", which further fueled fans' anger. Fans defended BTS's choice to sing in English, arguing that it was a strategic move to expand their global reach and connect with a broader audience.
See how fans are calling out The New York Times for allegedly passing racist comments against K-Pop and Jungkook in their recent podcast:
Faced with backlash on social media, fans demanded that The New York Times address the issue and apologize for Kara's offensive remarks. They expressed their disappointment with the podcast which they deemed to be biased, xenophobic, and disrespectful towards Korean artists.
Meanwhile, South Korean media outlet Dispatch reported that Jungkook is scheduled to enlist for his mandatory military service on December 12, 2023.
