BTS’ V has stirred up buzz among K-pop fans after sharing a song of BLACKPINK’s Rosé on his personal social media account. V posted six Instagram stories of different songs, including Rosé’s ballad “stay a little longer” from her first full solo album ‘rosie’ released last year.
With mixed reactions, the general consensus is one of surprise as it is a rare occurrence of a ‘K-pop taboo’ being broken. As two of the most globally-acclaimed K-pop groups, BLACKPINK and BTS have constantly been pitted against each other by both the industry and the general public. As there is a lot of ongoing discord between a section of their fandoms, the members of each group seem to avoid mentioning the other at all costs, in fear of riling up fans or provoking rumors.
This phenomenon is not exclusive to the two groups, nor is it new. It has been a prevalent taboo among K-pop artists to avoid mentioning groups of the opposite sex or groups from other agencies, be it from a business standpoint or precaution from things being taken out of context. In an era where online activity and fan-taken photos and videos are heavily scrutinized, artists have become increasingly cautious in their public interactions. Many K-pop fans have noted how much this phenomenon has intensified in recent years with the advancements of technology and changes in the way K-pop content is marketed and consumed.
There are fans who point out that it makes K-pop less enjoyable, such as watching award shows where artists avoid reacting to certain performances. Other fans feel that it is inevitable, noting that the excessive shipping of artists as couples from baseless interactions often leads to unwanted hate, and hence necessitates such vigilant behavior from artists.
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