Both Kep1er’s Yujin and their agency, KLAP Entertainment, have posted official apologies in response to a religiously-insensitive outfit.
Some K-Pop fans were enraged after Kep1er’s Yujin was seen in a shirt designed with a bedazzled text of “Allah,” the God in Islam, and an image of “Kaaba,” the most sacred site in Islam, known as the “House of God.” They further elaborated that their religion should not be used as an aesthetic, and that the shirt is disrespectful towards Islam and Muslims. Fans also noted that this was not the first time Yujin has worn the shirt, and that the shirt was also seen on another girl group, Badvillain.
Some fans spoke up in defense of the members, stating that idols do not get to choose their outfits and that criticism should be directed solely to their agencies and stylists. Others chimed in that ignorance is not an excuse in the Internet age where K-Pop is targeting global audiences, and that all involved parties should have been more careful.
In response to the backlash, Yujin has taken to the fan-chatting platform ‘Bubble’ to apologize, in addition to a statement of apology by her agency KLAP Entertainment:
“Hello, this is KLAP Entertainment.
We have confirmed that Kep1er’s Yujin has recently worn an outfit with a design depicting religious content, and we have deleted all pictures featuring said outfit.
We should have checked the outfits thoroughly before providing them to our artists. We would like to apologize to everyone for the distress caused due to our ignorance and ineptitude.
As a group with not only Korean fans but also fans from all over the world, we would be extra cautious so as not to commit similar mistakes in the future.
Once again, we would like to offer our sincere apology for the offense caused.”
The brand that designed the shirt has also acknowledged the problematic design, taking down the item and expressing, “We will be doing everything we can to ensure that our future creations are thoughtful, respectful, and considerate of the diverse communities we aim to serve.”
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