A song by Korean artists is going viral on TikTok for the wrong reasons.
In December 2023, Korean music artists Kohway (also known as King Kohway) and Nieah collaborated. They released “Run Away,” produced by Jay Dope. The song is now garnering attention on video-sharing app TikTok three months later.
Netizens were shocked to listen to a song by Korean artists and hear what sounded like Kohway putting on an accent when he said, “Run away.” This has sparked a discourse regarding cultural appropriation.
@thelk00 They love our music but not our people
#kpopstan #kpopfan #kpopfyp #thelkfacts #kpop
@ssasu_breezy Everyday it’s something
#amapiano #southafrica #kpop
@naoleplusboo HE THOUGHT HE ATE
it’s not cultural appropriation at this stage its just mocking
#kpopfyp #korea #humor #fyp #algerian #french #naoleplusbo
Hundreds of videos have been made using audio from the song, poking fun at the song. Many listeners agreed that it sounded like someone was putting on a fake Nigerian accent.
@wayvikkie PLEASE RUN AWEHHHHH (the girls part doesn’t even sound terrible, but the guys “run aweh” ?! I-
) #fyp #amapiano #tyla #kpop #krnb #kpopfyp
@allenkim2002 Korean ppl be normal challenge
@linaa.skz Thats crazy …i’m in shock #kpop #korean #afrobeats #fyp #fypシ
What netizens found even more droll is that the accent didn’t quite go with the music. Many mistakingly identified it as “Afrobeats,” but it’s specifically Amapiano. Nigeria is a country in West Africa, while Amapiano emerged from South Africa.
Amapiano, a Nguni word loosely translated to “the pianos”, is a subgenre of house music that emerged in South Africa in the mid-2010s. It is a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterized by synths and wide, percussive basslines.
— Wikipedia
Netizens are even taking to Kohway’s YouTube channel, commenting on the “Run Away” visualizer. They’re calling him out for his alleged fake accent.
Likewise, he has received an increase in hate comments on his Instagram account. Posts’ comments have been limited.
Netizens believe that Korean artists are attempting to capitalize off the success of South African singer-songwriter Tyla, who was shot to stardom with her hit “Water.”
Yet, we have seen an increase in K-Pop songs with both Afrobeats and Amapiano beats over the past few years. Some famous examples include TXT‘s “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)” and, most recently, LE SSERAFIM‘s “Smart,” which even includes choreography that many thought was a response to Tyla’s “Water.”
On the other hand, Kohway identifies as a “Korean Afrobeats singer.” Even his and Nieah’s album, for which “Run Away” is featured, is called AFRO TAPE.
Based on his Instagram, he even worked with Cape Town and South African Music Awards nominated DJ & Producer Mr Thela for some music.
Kohway won’t be the first nor last Korean music artist to identify with another culture’s genre of music. M.TySON became a fan of reggae after a trip to The Bahamas, although reggae is Jamaican and The Bahamas is known more for Junkanoo and Rake-and-scrape. He ultimately learned more about reggae from Jamaican people and finally visited Jamaica.
In February 2015, he travelled to Jamaica to continue his investigation. There he met Earl «Chinna» Smith, the former guitarist of Bob Marley and the Wailers, who runs a studio in Jamaica where he could train in rhythms and in acting out reggae feeling. Some of his experience went into his most recent music video «My Ting» with quite a different style after having been to Jamaica. While earlier songs like «Lion King» do have a smooth reggae rhythm, «Booby Trap» already announced the change of mood that came along with the most recent songs like «Easy Come Easy Go» (01/2015) towards a more serious tone, partly dragging into Jamaican feeling.
— Norient
According to Norient, M.TySON “considers himself to be a missionary bringing reggae – the music that touches heart and soul – to South Korea, music that might raise consciousness for social issues.” However, like Kohway, M.TySON uses an accent that is not his own for his songs, as he is imitating Jamaican reggae artists. This includes sometimes using Jamaican Patois, an English-based creole language (with many influences, including West African, Taíno, and more). For example, “Ting” is a Jamaican pronunciation of the English word “Thing.”
Artists like M.TySON and Kohway are provoking a conversation regarding Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation. Cultural Appreciation is about honoring and educating oneself on another culture, whereas Cultural Appropriation can be inappropriately adopting another culture without acknowledgment or education, often to profit from it.
What do you think?
