Outside of K-pop, what other genre subreddit constantly argues over who influenced the genre more and tries to claim ownership over it? If people on hip-hop subreddits aren’t constantly talking about Jamaica, does that mean they’re erasing or disrespecting the contributions of DJ Kool Herc? No one is ignoring or deleting the history of any genre. People are there to enjoy music and talk about it.
Analyzing how genres interacted with each other and evolved over time is the kind of thing music historians do, not something every individual fan is obligated to constantly bring up. Of course people are free to discuss those topics if they want, but the way K-pop constantly gets accused of “ignoring” or “stealing” influences is ridiculous. What, are K-pop artists supposed to include a full bibliography of every influence in every album booklet and every interview?
Honestly, I think a lot of these ownership arguments toward K-pop come from a condescending attitude that looks down on the genre itself. As if J-pop or Black music suddenly fell from the sky untouched by outside influences. Those genres also grew through interactions with countless other genres, cultures, and musical traditions.
This whole discourse is exhausting. And again, nobody erased or ignored anything. Even if some individual fans did, that’s their personal issue, not something the entire K-pop industry should collectively bear responsibility for.
submitted by /u/Wonderful-Expert8084
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