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GF Entertainment’s boy group, KINGDOM, landed in controversy with its new album even before its release. A Korean netizen reposted a post about the group making a comeback with a Japanese concept on the popular community forum, Instiz, on March 6.
The comeback album in question is the group’s mini-album titled History Of Kingdom: Part VI. Mujin. They believed the Japanese-inspired concept to be controversial. The criticism seems to stem from the fact that Korea and Japan share a sensitive history.
However, international fans were quick to defend the seven-member idol group as they explained their concept - each member representing a mythological king and their eras inspired by various cultures.
One fan even pointed out that it seemed like the group fell into trouble because of their exposure on the competition Peak Time. They added that the poster did not research the group well enough, as they had previously done a Korean concept too.
KINGDOM’s upcoming comeback album sparks heavy discussions online
KINGDOM is a seven-member group comprising Dann, Arthur, Mujin, Louis, Ivan, Jahan, and Hwon. After their last release in October last year, the group is all geared up for a comeback with History Of Kingdom: Part VI. Mujin this month.
While on the one hand, many fans loved the teasers released so far, a controversy brewed on Korean online forums after the release of their upcoming album’s concept.
Under an Instiz post on March 6, Korean netizens criticized the group’s concept and even questioned the members’ authenticity of being a K-pop group. One netizen even asked if it was a Japanese debut.
The controversy arose from the group’s photo teaser, which showed all seven members seemingly wearing a traditional Japanese outfit. Mujin, the one on whose royal character the upcoming album is set, sits in the center with a katana, a Japanese sword.
While some netizens mentioned that it felt like the group was “forcing” the concept, another shared that Hanboks (traditional Korean outfits) were pretty, too, implying that they could have worn them.
The Instiz post popped onto international Twitter via Pannchoa, an account that translates to Korean community forums and reactions. The loyal fandom defended the members, mentioning the group’s concept. The group debuted with the concept of royalty - each member representing a fantasy king and his own history, inspired by global cultures, through an album dedicated to their names.
Similarly, fans mentioned that the Excalibur singers had previously done French, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and many other concepts, keeping in tandem with creating their grand universe about the seven mythological kings and their ancient kingdoms.
Take a look at how international fans defended the group:
History of Kingdom Part VI. Mujin will be released on March 23, 2023. The group debuted in February 2021 and, in two years, has created a loyal fandom by charming their way with rich historical lore via their albums. The Excalibur singers even ranked first on RollingStone’s list of 10 Best K-pop debuts of 2021.
