TO1's Chan receives backlash from netizens for cultural appropriation after spotted wearing durag at the KCON LA

K-pop group TO1's Chan is facing criticism from netizens over cultural appropriation after being spotted wearing durag at the popular festival KCON LA.

TO1's KCON performance, which was expected to be special for fans, became an issue as the agenda of cultural appropriation came to light once again because of member Chan. TO1 performed PSY's That That and BTS' Suga, among other songs. Fans were outraged when they discovered TO1's Chan wearing Durag during a performance on That That.

The rap part of the song That That was originally sung by Suga of BTS. During that scene, member Chan removes his cowboy hat, revealing Durag beneath it. While the whole situation of wearing Durag was already depressing for netizens, the rap lyrics, Yah naega, added to their misery.

Naega means ''I'' in Korean but sounds similar to a racial slur that begins with ''N'' in English. This made the incident even more vexing for TO1 fans.

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TO1's Chan faced criticism from netizens over cultural appropriation as he was seen wearing a durag in KCON LA

Fans appeared to understand the situation and have chastised K-pop artist Chan for his ignorance of such an important issue. But in response, the artist stated that he wore Durag because he thought it was trendy and was unaware of its historical significance. As a result, the debate heated up even more, and netizens reacted angrily on social networking sites.

The artist also asked fans why they didn't want him to wear a durag. Fans explained what it meant and why it could be considered offensive.

Originally, a durag was a headscarf worn by Black slaves to protect their natural hair. It was reclaimed as a symbol of liberation in the United States in the 1930s. Later, Chan stated that he understood what it meant.

Even after that, he said, Durag was a fashionable piece of clothing.

It is not the first time the idol has been accused of cultural appropriation. Chan was previously seen with braids and dreadlocks on Road to Kingdom in 2020. The singer was previously seen wearing durags when the group was just taking photos together. When fans called out, Chan explained it was a cool look.

TO1 fans are still hoping that the artist understands the gravity of the situation and will be more cautious in the future. It's difficult for a rookie group to overcome such situations in the K-pop industry, and not only Chan but other members appear to be receiving backlash as a result of the incident.