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THROWBACK: When BLACKPINK was accused of cultural misappropriation after a Ganesh statue was spotted in an MV
We are looking back at when South Korean pop band BLACKPINK was under fire for cultural misappropriation after a Ganesh statue was seen in their How You Like That MV.
We are looking back at June 2020 when BLACKPINK’s hit song How You Like That was at the centre of a controversy for cultural misappropriation. For those who missed it, the song featuring Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo and Rosé, sees the BLACKPINK members dancing it up as they dance to the sick beats. While the video is every bit as charming as the girls themselves, things quickly took an ugly turn after an Indian viewer pointed cultural misappropriation in their comeback music video. Taking to Twitter, multiple Indian BLINKS pointed out that there was a statue of Lord Ganesha placed in an Arabic market set up in the video. The split-second appearance of the statue comes as Lisa sings her lines, seated on a piece of furniture set in the scene. The use of the idol as a prop didn’t go down well with Indian viewers.
The Korean music video has since garnered over 115 million views on YouTube and beating BTS to record the biggest premiere on the streaming platform. Since the release, several online users have slammed the girl band and YG Entertainment for it. "Blackpink placing a Ganesha statue ON THE GROUND next to an Aladdin lamp in a so-called "Arab market" scene...when we say y'all see South Asia as some sort of exoticised interchangeable other for aesthetic this is a prime example," a fan wrote on Twitter.
"I'm so angry I never spread hate over here but @ygent_official @BLACKPINK @ygofficialblink Fuck you for using everything you can for aesthetics. That statue is of a Hindu God Ganesha and you do not use it like that!!!!! Do some research? Stop appropriating our culture were TIRED," a fan added.
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