Will Oasis face boycott? Liam Gallagher’s slur draws backlash in Korea, Japan
Liam Gallagher's posting on X, formerly Twitter / Captured from Gallagher's X
Liam Gallagher of the legendary British rock band Oasis, is facing backlash for a racially insensitive remark that angered many fans in Korea and beyond.
On Tuesday, Gallagher posted the word “Chingchong” on X, formerly Twitter. The term is widely recognized as a racial slur originating from a mockery of East Asian accents, and is considered offensive toward people of Chinese, Korean, Japanese and other East Asian backgrounds.
When a fan responded by warning him not to use the phrase, Gallagher replied, “Why.” Another fan commented he might be about to “offend his own fans."
"Are you joking? Your fans will be upset,” to which he responded, “Chill out Birdy,” appearing to dismiss the concern.
Despite continuing to argue with fans online, Gallagher eventually deleted the post. However, he initially showed little indication of understanding the severity of the issue.
Following the deletion, he posted a short apology, writing, “Sorry if I offended anyone with my tweet before it wasn’t intentional you know I love you all and I do not discriminate. Peace and love.”
The controversy comes as Oasis is scheduled to perform in Korea later this year. Korean fans have expressed disappointment online, saying, “How can he say it wasn’t intentional,” “So disappointing” and “This makes fans attending the concert look like fools.”
Oasis, which reunited last year after 15 years apart, is set to perform at Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province on Oct. 21, followed by two shows at the Tokyo Dome on Oct. 25 and 26.
This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.