The first K-Pop group to walk the prestigious Met Gala red carpet, Stray Kids, made a striking debut this Monday. Yet, their historic appearance was tarnished by disrespectful and racially-charged comments from photographers covering the event.
Fans of the band, known collectively as Stays, were outraged by a viral video showcasing photographers making derogatory remarks about the eight-member South Korean group. “I’ve never seen so many unemotional faces in my life,” said one photographer, while another branded them ‘robots’.
Stray Kids, consisting of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N., arrived in a carefully coordinated routine, posing before removing their coats to reveal a second look beneath. This orchestrated change, typical of red carpet events, drew groans of frustration from the photographers. “Now we’ve gotta do it again,” a photographer yelled. “Now let’s do it with feeling!”
The negativity escalated when photographers were heard speculating that people might believe there were “two K-Pop bands” simply because Stray Kids had changed outfits. This comment perpetuates the racist stereotype that Asian people are indistinguishable.
Footage from the event reveals photographers mocking the group with sarcastic comments, demanding they “Go crazy! Everybody jump!”, and misidentifying Korean phrases as Japanese. Viewers and fans alike have condemned the photographers’ behavior, calling it unprofessional, disrespectful and fueling harmful stereotypes.
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“This is so unprofessional and disgusting,” wrote one person on Twitter. Another commented, “Every video I see, the more rage I get. The racism, the unprofessionalism, who hired them??? I hope they are fired.”
This incident highlights a worrying pattern of xenophobia towards Asian artists and celebrities in the Western media. It serves as a reminder of the insidious racism that persists within the entertainment industry and the urgent need for respectful representation across all platforms and cultures.
