Workshops
The Black in BLACKPINK: A K-Pop History
Korean pop music, or K-Pop, has taken the world by storm. Groups like BTS and BLACKPINK have both topped global music charts and generated fanbases that have used their fandom for social change. And yet, few people may know about K-Pop’s surprising roots and origins, which have everything to do with the influence of Black American dance and music. In this workshop, we trace the history of K-Pop to explore the relationships between Black, Asian, and Asian American popular culture. We raise questions like, How and when did Asian culture become cool? and What do Asian and Black cultures owe to each other? Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the differences between cultural appreciation, appropriation, and exchange. In recognizing K-Pop’s massive global appeal, we consider how the genre can, in BTS’s words, “help the world.”