BTS member V sparks debate over durag wear in livestream, faces netizen's backlash

BTS member V has faced backlash and accusations of cultural appropriation for wearing a durag in a livestream. He explained that he received it as a gift, but some fans were not satisfied with his explanation.

Kim 'V' Taehyung, did a short livestream on WeVerse after attending an afterparty for rapper Lil Uzi Vert in Seoul. Behind him, fans spotted a red durag hanging on a keyboard stand.

“I received it as a gift,” V said. He then put it on briefly and took it off. He did not mention who gave it to him, but fans noticed that he had the durag in previous livestreams.

A durag is a piece of cloth that is used to maintain hairstyles, especially for Black men. It became more popular in the 1990s thanks to rappers like Jay-Z, Nelly, and 50 Cent.

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Some BTS fans criticized V for wearing the durag, saying that it was disrespectful to Black culture and that he was using it to look “hood” or “gangsta”.

One fan wrote on X: “for people trying to downplay Taehyung wearing the durag: it’s part of black culture and used to protect our hair.” The fan said that durags and other aspects of Black culture have been used to portray negative stereotypes. “He is not racist but it is ignorant,” the fan said.

Another fan said, “I wake up and the first thing I see is Tae wearing a durag. I’m crying so bad, what?”

“Why the f**k Tae got a durag and which dumbs gave it to him?” wrote another person.

However, some fans defended V, saying that anyone can wear a durag and that V was not aware of the cultural significance or history of the durag.

One fan wrote, “Anyone can wear a durag. I see it all the time around me and yes I’m Black.

“Taehyung always promotes Black artists. He even works with them.”

Another fan wrote, “As a Black person, I don’t understand why Taehyung wearing a durag is offensive especially if it’s not being used in an offensive way and especially cause it was a gift."

"I don’t know, educate me if I’m wrong.”

“I’m not gonna respond anymore so I’ll leave with this,” wrote another person.

“Ignorant means being unaware about something. I don’t think Tae is aware about the cultural significance or history of the durag, so I don’t think he acted maliciously, just without knowledge.”

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V released his first solo album Layover last month with music videos for all the songs.

He also became the first K-pop artist to appear on Tiny Desk Korea, an international version of NPR’s Tiny Desk series.

BTS announced on June 14, 2022, that they would take a break from group activities as the members started their mandatory South Korean military service.

Three members have already enlisted as of September 2023: Jin, J-Hope, and Suga.

The group plans to reunite in 2025 when all the members finish their service.