S. Korean artists show their support for 'Black Lives Matter movement'

미 조지 플로이드 시위, Kpop 스타들도 동참And, it's not just celebrities in the U.S. like Beyonce or Lady Gaga, but K-pop artists, as well.K-pop celebrities including BTS and Jay Park have begun to express support for the Black Lives Matter movement online and their loyal fans are following suit.Choi Won-jong has this story.It's now a global issue.South Korean celebrities are taking to social media to speak out on the death of George Floyd...by using the hashtag 'Black Lives Matter'.South Korean boyband BTS wrote last Thursday: (quote) "We stand against racial discrimination, we condemn violence. You and I, we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together".Jay Park, a Korean hip-hop artist, expressed his rage over the killing of George Floyd, and showed support for the global movement.However, some K-Pop fans say these messages of support have caught them by surprise."K-Pop artists did say something and they did voice support of the Black Lives Matter movement. It was surprising and I wasn't expecting it."Fans say it's not about the post itself, but the thoughts and intentions of the artists."And I think just saying anything, anything about this issue is more than welcome and more than enough for a lot of fans, because most of the K-Pop industry right now is just radio silence, right? So just anything like a post is more than enough."This isn't the first time South Korean artists have been vocal on social issues.Through their songs, K-Pop stars have spoken about female empowerment and climate change.And, experts say, because of the sheer number of fans around the globe, K-Pop is no longer strictly Korean."Since many South Korean artists have been communicating with fans globally, they are sensitive to global issues. It became very natural to react to such issues, and it is possible to leave messages to fans."In the meantime, BTS and other South Korean stars have made large donations to the 'Black Lives Matter movement', and continue to call for engagement from their fans on this global issue.Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.