Blackpink use Ganesha statue in hit music video, and are accused of exploiting Indian religion and culture
- Blackpink’s video for How You Like That was the most-viewed music video premiere on YouTube with 50 million views in 11 hours
- Indian fans of the K-pop girl group were outraged at the use of a statue of Hindu god Ganesha in the video, and the statue was removed
K-pop girl group Blackpink have come under fire for using a statue of a Hindu deity as a prop in a recent record-breaking music video.
However, fans were quick to point out that a scene in the video featured a statue of The Hindu deity Ganesha placed on the floor in the background. The scene occurs at the one minute, 20-second mark, and features group member Lisa rapping while seated on a throne, with the statue behind her. Some fans demanded the removal of the statue from the video.
Blackpink label YG Entertainment has since removed the controversial scene from the music video. The Ganesha statue has been replaced with an item that resembles a cylindrical black gas tank.
Ganesha is worshipped as the elephant-headed god of beginnings in Hinduism, and is seen as a remover of obstacles. The deity is also sacred to people who follow Buddhism and Jainism.
Immediately after the video was released, the hashtags #Ganesha and #YGApologise started trending on Twitter, blaming YG Entertainment for the transgression.
Most Blackpink fans – especially those who follow Hinduism – were disappointed that the Ganesha statue had been used in the video, and accused YG of exploiting the religion and Indian culture.
However, other internet users saw no problem with using the statue in the video. One Twitter user, who has since deactivated her account, went as far as saying: “Shut up, no one cares about your God.”
After criticism of the video escalated on social media, Blackpink fans in India released a statement on Twitter saying they did not approve of the “cultural degradation” and would complain to YG Entertainment.
South Korean portal AllKpop reported that YG Entertainment possibly managed to strike a deal with YouTube to allow the video to be modified without losing analytics.
This is not the first time the K-pop industry has upset Indians.
In 2017, South Korean singer Lee Hyori performed a dance routine to The Hindu prayer the Gayatri Mantra, and was accused of sexualising Hinduism. The singer responded by saying she had been influenced by Indian culture, but did not comment on accusations that she had sexualised the sacred mantra.
Girl group Oh My Girl were accused of fetishising Indian culture in 2016. The seven-member group released a single titled Windy Day, which borrowed from South Asian musical heritage. After fans nicknamed them “curry-dols” in response, Oh My Girl performed a cover of the Norazo song Curry at a special fan meet in July 2016.
Norazo are a comical music duo from South Korea, famous for eccentric songs. The song Curry is known for its blatant cultural appropriation, with lyrics such as “It’s yellow, spicy, and although it doesn’t smell nice, Taj Mahal”, and “Shanti shanti, yoga fire!/ love hot curry”.
Oh My Girl were involved in another India-related controversy last month. During a performance at the “Kcon:Tact 2020 Summer” virtual festival, members Mimi and YooA were spotted wearing a bindi and matha patti, a form of Indian jewellery worn by brides. Many internet users accused the band of cultural appropriation, but label WM Entertainment did not comment on the controversy.
