Author
Vanessa Tang
Cultural Appropriation vs. Korean Nationalism: Analyzing the Music Video of "Yayaya" by T-ara
T-ara has been known as the “chameleon group” in the K-Pop industry because they have a diverse style throughout their career (Billboard 2018). In 2012, they published the song “Yayaya” to again show diversity in their work, but the music video is seen as controversial when cultural appropriation is being emphasized. However, Korean audiences seem to not recognized it as a problem in K-Pop pieces that have used or represented other cultures, including “Yayaya”. Although T-ara has misrepresented the Native Americans by acting as them in the music video, and used elements of the culture in the costumes and props, this idea may have empowered Korean Nationalism by othering the foreign culture (Lee 2006: 141).
The music video of “Yayaya” subject appropriated the Native American by having T-ara portraying them as uncivilized. With the T-ara members acting as Native Americans, they have mocked the people by doing stereotypical dances and making monkey-like sounds, associating the Native Americans with animals. During the second verse of the song, the music video shows clumsy movements of the girls, as if they are little kids. For example, Jiyeon touches the boy with the back of her fist then loses balance and almost faints. Qri also shows the boy her doll as if she is a little girl trying to impress an adult. K-pop idols are social influencers, especially among teenagers with their actions and behavior (Maliangkay 2015: 103). Therefore, misrepresenting the Native American culture will have a negative impact on how Korean society understands the foreign culture. According to Young, a culture could be deeply harmed by misrepresentation (2009: 273). T-ara and the production team are harming the Native American culture by portraying it based on negative stereotypes, giving the culture negative connotations like uncivilized and foolish.
T-ara and their production team have also content appropriated the Native American culture by incorporating tribal patterns, and use props such as wooden staff, bow and arrow, etc. to emphasize the mimicry. They have several different styles throughout the music video, but they all have Native American elements incorporated. From the use of feathers to wearing face paint, even when wearing uniform, the costumes completely mimicked the traditional Native American clothing based on stereotypes. There are also tribal patterns extracted from the Native American culture that are used in both costumes and set of the video as decorations. Wooden staff, bow and arrow were used in the video to again mock the Native Americans as uncivilized and even violent, encouraging discrimination against the Native Americans (Young 2009: 273).
T-ara and their production team have also content appropriated the Native American culture by incorporating tribal patterns, and use props such as wooden staff, bow and arrow, etc. to emphasize the mimicry. They have several different styles throughout the music video, but they all have Native American elements incorporated. From the use of feathers to wearing face paint, even when wearing uniform, the costumes completely mimicked the traditional Native American clothing based on stereotypes. There are also tribal patterns extracted from the Native American culture that are used in both costumes and set of the video as decorations. Wooden staff, bow and arrow were used in the video to again mock the Native Americans as uncivilized and even violent, encouraging discrimination against the Native Americans (Young 2009: 273).
This cultural appropriation issue, however, was not recognized until the video spreads outside of Korea, because according to Turnbull, “Korea is one of the least politically-correct societies out there, particularly in the ways in which non-Koreans are represented in popular-culture” (Wade: 2012). Lee has also suggested that Korea resisting to globalize and orienting to localization is one of the keys for K-Pop to succeed in the East and Southeast Asian region (2006: 129). As a Nationalistic country, the K-pop industry is representing other cultures in order to assert power in Korean Nationalism (Lee 2006: 141). “Blackfacing in K-pop and the Korean media is a form of Korean nationalism” (Hare 2017: 3). This shows that Korea is not only targeting one culture, but all minorities in order to dominate others.
The music video of the song “Yayaya” by T-ara might be misrepresenting the Native American culture, and could harm the culture greatly. However, T-ara, representing Korea, has dominated the minority culture by representing it. Nevertheless, a possible objection is proposed by Young, stating that “insiders have the right to represent themselves, but this is not taken from them when others represent them” (2009: 270). Whether or not T-ara has culturally appropriated the Native Americans, it is assumed that they did it to contribute to Korean Nationalism.
The music video of the song “Yayaya” by T-ara might be misrepresenting the Native American culture, and could harm the culture greatly. However, T-ara, representing Korea, has dominated the minority culture by representing it. Nevertheless, a possible objection is proposed by Young, stating that “insiders have the right to represent themselves, but this is not taken from them when others represent them” (2009: 270). Whether or not T-ara has culturally appropriated the Native Americans, it is assumed that they did it to contribute to Korean Nationalism.
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