Stray Kids fans outraged over paparazzi’s ‘racist’ remarks at Met Gala

May 8, 2024

Fans of K-pop boy band Stray Kids expressed outrage at paparazzi for allegedly making racist comments and jokes during the group’s Met Gala debut.

Key points:

As the group entered the gala on Monday, photographers were reportedly heard making insensitive remarks, including stereotypes, about their appearance.
Social media erupted with criticism against the photographers, condemning their behavior as xenophobic and unacceptable.

The details:

In a now-viral video of Stray Kids’ entrance, some people — allegedly paparazzi — can be heard making questionable comments about them in the background.
“How do you say ‘right’ in Korean?” one asks, apparently assuming that the members cannot understand English. Another says “arigato” (“thank you” in Japanese) as the Korean group was leaving.
Jokes were also made about the group’s appearance, with one saying, “I’ve never seen so many unemotional faces in my life.” As the members removed their coats to reveal color-coordinated Tommy Hilfiger suits, another quipped, “They’re gonna start performing.”
Fans also accused the photographers of racism for making stereotypical jokes. One was heard calling the members “robots,” while another demanded that they pose “with feelings.”
Jokes were also made about how viewers would think there were two K-pop bands present, insinuating an inability to distinguish individuals of Asian descent.

Reactions:

Fans were quick to defend the boy band. “Don’t need to be a fan of stray kids to recognize the blatant xenophobia,” one user wrote on X. “This is so disgusting and disheartening.”
“Whether you are a fan of stray kids or not, NO ONE should have to be on the receiving end of such racist and vile commentary from photographers,” another fan noted.
“It’s 2024 guys. Be better, do better,” another urged. “This is incredibly disappointing and outrageous. There is no excuse for this. Stray kids deserve WAY better.”