Korean artists back Blackout Tuesday movement
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| Artists including HyunA, left, Rain, and Tiffany Young are supporting the Blackout Tuesday movement through their social media. Yonhap and screen captured from Instagram. |
By Lee Gyu-lee
South Korean performers, including HyunA, Taeyang and Rain, are taking part in the Blackout Tuesday movement on social media.
The campaign, initiated by two black women in the music industry, proposed a day of reflection on racial inequality after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. As a digital demonstration, social media users are posting solid black pictures with #BlackoutTuesday to express their solidarity.
K-pop artists HyunA, Rain, and Eric Nam posted a black square on their Instagram accounts on Wednesday. Big Bang's Taeyang uploaded a picture that says “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” with the hashtag of the movement.
Nam spoke out against racism last week on his Instagram, saying “RACISM IS NOT DEAD.” Calling other users to take action, he said: “It does not matter what color your skin is, this affects you.”
Singer Tiffany Young of Girl's Generation shared a black photo with the caption “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” She also shared links to foundations and fundraising platforms that support racial equality, encouraging fans to donate with her.
| Artists from the hip-hop label H1GHR MUSIC hold “BLACK LIVES MATTER” signs to express solidarity with the movement. Screen captured from Instagram |
Hip-hop label H1GHR MUSIC ― founded by Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone ― and its artists came together to donate $21,000 to the BLACK LIVES MATTER Organization.
“H1GHR MUSIC wishes for a world where all people are treated equally,” it wrote on its Instagram.
The label that houses rappers Sik-K, Haon and pH-1 also postponed its artists' releases for two days ― June 2 to 4 ― “as part of 'BLACK OUT TUESDAY' to show support in the ongoing fight against injustice.”