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On January 23, 2024, K-pop fans came together to trend #StrikeAgainstThe4 on X to boycott albums and song streaming of BLACKPINK, EXO, fromis_9, and more to stand in solidarity for the ongoing Palestine crisis. In addition, K-pop fans around the world have come together to boycott the big four entertainment companies of South Korea: HYBE Corporation, JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and SM Entertainment.
Over 25,000 people have reportedly died in the Gaza Strip in Palestine as a result of the continuing Israel-Palestine conflict since October 2023, according to the latest current figures. Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movements, spearheaded by Palestinians, have pushed for specific boycotts by consumers to force businesses that profit from Israel's misdeeds to cease selling their goods.
Trigger Warning: This article may contain information on death, killings, murder, and war. Readers' discretion is advised.
K-pop fans boycotting HYBE, JYP, YG, and SM including groups like EXO, Stray Kids, TWICE, BLACKPINK, & more
A number of American corporations, including Starbucks, McDonald's, Hewlett-Packard, Burger King, Disney, and more, are presently being boycotted because it is believed that they have assisted in the persecution of Palestinians. Thus, criticism has also been leveled at K-pop musicians who use, interact with, promote, or collaborate with these businesses.
The boycott against the "Big 4," which has been organizing information and raising awareness for the movement with the hashtag #StrikeAgainstThe4, calls on supporters to show that they stand with the people of Palestine by announcing a nationwide boycott on the purchase of products and the purchase or streaming of music by the artists of the companies from January 23 to January 28, 2024.
A list of the K-pop bands and artists to be avoided as per the protest includes BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, TWICE, fromis-9, EXO, SHINee, BOYNEXTDOOR, TWS, Girls' Generation, f(x), Boa, ITZY, Super Junior, NMIXX, TVXQ, Niziu, VCHA, TREASURE, BIGBANG, Boystory, Day6, and WINNER.
Somi is a perfect example. Recently, the South Korean-Canadian singer had to remove a video in which she drank from a Starbucks cup, and she continues to get backlash. There were also rumors that Jeon Somi was participating in a sponsored campaign for Starbucks when she posted a TikTok video of herself drinking from a tumbler.
Fans are now pushing for a significant boycott against the K-pop industry's Big 4—HYBE, YG, SM, and JYP—agencies as a whole, as the boycott campaign has grown in the last several months. As per the demands of the boycotting fans, the Big 4 agencies are allegedly having their celebrities use merchandise from companies and even work with musicians that support Israel.
But in spite of the supporters' cries for these partnerships to end, the firms are not taking any significant action. K-pop enthusiasts have persisted in holding businesses and musicians responsible for their endorsements, participation in, financial gain from, promotion of, or affiliation with boycotted products.
Recent instances include fans reaching out to celebrities' businesses to request that they continue to support boycotting brands, such as McDonald's and Starbucks, in an effort to spread the word and insist that musicians stop consuming from these brands. This highlights the incident when ENHYPEN member Jake was seen sipping an Iced Americano from Starbucks during his live stream with fans.
A fan immediately pointed it out and asked him not to consume anything from Starbucks. ENHYPEN's Jake then immediately apologized for being unaware of the situation and poured the coffee into a regular cup. The Bite Me artist assured his fans that he would be mindful and would not engage with brands that are part of the boycott.
K-pop fans engaged in discussion on X about boycotting artists & agencies
Supporters surmise that by halting record, merchandise, and stream sales, as well as by drawing attention to the corporations and decreasing their revenue, the firms will be forced into difficult situations and be forced to ban the alleged Zionist brands.
Several K-pop fans voiced their opinion on X, wondering how boycotting entertainment companies and music would contribute to changing the Palestine crisis. Meanwhile, several others showed huge enthusiasm for the protest and voiced their opinions on X to not stream any music of the abovementioned K-pop bands and artists from January 23 to January 28, 2024.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which started in 1948, has a specific component known as the Gaza–Israel confrontation. Since 2006, Hamas has been in control of the Gaza Strip. Israel and Hamas have fought five wars since then, the most recent of which began on October 7, 2023. The recent conflict has resulted in a significant number of civilian casualties and fatalities.
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