After tweeting that they’re against racial discrimination last week, K-pop group BTS, along with their ARMY (fanbase), donated at least $2 million in total to the Black Lives Matter movement last weekend.
After an initial report by Variety confirming the donation of BTS (along with their management, Big Hit Entertainment) on June 6, Saturday, CNN reported that fans organized their own “One In An ARMY” fundraiser with the hashtag #MatchAMillion. Within 24 hours, the fundraiser garnered around $800,000. On Sunday evening, the One In An ARMY Twitter account announced that they’ve reached their $1 million goal.
In their statement, they revealed that the additional $1 million is donated to “bailouts for those arrested for protesting police brutality,” “black-led advocacy organizations fighting against systemic injustice” and “support for the physical and mental health of the black community.”
On their official Twitter account, BTS expressed their stand against discrimination and pointed out that everyone has the “right to be respected,” which prompted the ARMY initiative.
우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다.
우리는 폭력에 반대합니다.
나, 당신, 우리 모두는 존중받을 권리가 있습니다. 함께 하겠습니다.We stand against racial discrimination.
We condemn violence.
You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.#BlackLivesMatter— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) June 4, 2020
The managing director of the BLM movement, Kailee Scales, commended the group’s effort to donate to the cause. “Black people all over the world are in pain at this moment from the trauma of centuries of oppression,” Scales said to Variety. “We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives.”
Ever since the online campaigns for #BlackLivesMatter resurfaced, a lot of people have been talking about the silence of the K-pop industry on important issues like this. They believe that the industry’s wide reach and influence would be put to great use if they let idols use their platforms to promote it. BTS is the first group to support the movement. We hope that this would inspire other groups and managements to follow suit.
Screengrab from “Boy With Luv” music video
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