The Melanin Ajumma

Any fan of K-pop would be able to tell you that the fundamental foundation of the music is directly related to Black American R&B, and HipHop. SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo Man, known as the Godfather of the K-pop, admitted that Black American music and the trainee system used by Motown Records founder Barry Gordy was the inspiration for SM Entertainment.

In their rookie days, BTS had a reality program called “American Hustle Life” where they ‘learned’ about the foundation of Black American HipHop. Through different tasks, they were exposed to HipHop’s roots, how the lifestyle was formed and the importance of community involvement and giving back. Whether you agree with some of the antics of the program, such as a fake kidnapping while BTS were staying in what would be considered ‘the hood’, the show had an overall purpose. The primary intentions were for them to understand the music on a deeper level and that the culture was more than just something to emulate. I believe this was an important moment of growth for the members that would positively shape their careers going forward. These types of cross-cultural interactions are one of many between Koreans and Black Americans in the United States.

On January 18th, BTS announced the release of their 5th full studio album to be titled, Arirang. Globally, BTS fans known as ARMY, and non-ARMY alike were thrilled to finally have a date for this much anticipated album release since their discharge from the military. What captured the most attention from this announcement was the album title: Arirang.

The title intrigued some not familiar with the historical and cultural significance of what Arirang meant in connection with his comeback. For Koreans and for those that are familiar with Korean cultural history, the title was welcomed with pride, joy and curiosity.

If you are at all familiar with the name ‘Arirang,’ then you would know that it is a beloved and cherished Korean folk song. So, why would this modern-day Korean Pop group decide to name their 2026 album by this name? The answer remained a mystery until it’s release and post release promotion. Yet, in the meantime, ARMY’s have been doing their own research to explore the cultural significance of this song to the Korean people. From day one of the announcement BTS content creators started releasing videos talking about not only the excitement surrounding the new album but also exploring the meaning of Arirang. YouTube content creator Jose Ochoa posted on X (formally Twitter) that BTS was not the first to bring Arirang to the United States as the original recording. Surprisingly, I learned through all this excitement that the very first known recording of Arirang was done in of all places HBCU Howard University. I had to do a double take when I saw Howard’s name associated with this song. Now I had to do my own research as to how and why this beloved Korean folk song came to be recorded at one of the oldest and most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the U.S.

From South Korea to Howard University

The story of how seven young men from Korea came to the United States and ended up at a HBCU is quite an amazing tale. However, the seven men ages 19-27, allegedly stole money from a Korean bank in 1896 in order to runaway to Vancouver, Canada. Unfortunately, the money ran out, and they lacked the English ability to survive on their own. Seeking help, they sent a telegraph to the Korean Envoy and Minister of Plenipotentiary (diplomatic agent/ambassador), Suh Kwang Bum. He was willing to help these runaways, he made arrangements for them to come to America and coordinated with Howard University to have them enrolled as students.

According to to Washington Post article published in 1896, these seven were from noble families and were well educated. However, they still choose to flee Japanese occupied Korea for the West. It was also noted that Howard University gave aid to the students, such as spending summer vacations with the families of university professors, and coaching the students in English.

These seven men were known on campus for their musical talents and were often asked to sing. Due to their lack of the English language, one of the songs they would sing was Arirang. Later that same year of their arrival to Howard, American ethnologist Alice C. Fletcher invited three of the Korean students to her home in Washington, D.C. in order to produce the first recording of Arirang. Fletcher is credited as describing the translated Korean lyrics as ‘love songs’ and giving the recordings the title for “Love Songs: Ar-a-rang.” Those original recording are currently cataloged and can be requested at the United States Library of Congress.

Why Howard University?

Howard University was founded March 2nd, 1867, in Washington, DC by Civil War hero General Oliver O. Howard. The main campus is home to 256 acres of land across the District of Columbia and Maryland. Apart of what is known in the United States as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), it is raked as one of the leading HBCU’s in the nation according to Forbes. Howard is also ranked as the number one HBCU’s for law, economics, political science, engineering, and fine arts. The Main Campus is located in northwest DC, the School of Law, School of Divinity, and Howard’s research facility each have dedicated campuses nearby.

Notable Howard University alumni include Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Author Toni Morrison, and actors Chadwick Boseman and Taraji P. Henson.

According to the National Museum ofAfrican American History, HBCU’s were established in the mid-late 1800’s to establish institutions of higher learning for Black students in places where admission to higher learning institutions were not allowed. This was largely through the efforts of Black churches through the Freedmen’s Bureau at the end of the civil war and the establishment of the second Merrill Act of 1890 that required former confederate states to provide land-grants institutions for black students.

I was curious as to why the Korean ambassador chose to send these students to an HBCU. In the greater Washington DC area, now commonly known as the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia), in which the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia surround the U.S. capital. In the mid 1800’s there was Georgetown University established in 1789 and George Washington University established 1821, which was chartered during the Monroe administration in 1821 as a college that no one be refused admissions. Both of these institutions could have been practical locations for the students. Therefore, why choose an institution that was just established that year? Through all of my research I could not find an answer to that question. However, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have long been welcoming institutions of higher learning for all who not only want to learn but respect the reason for such institutions to exist in the first place.

According to publication Study International, since “2015, 22% of students consisted of non-black students including Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and white people. Racial diversity has become an essential value in HBCU today, building on the principle that every individual has a right to education.”

The relationship between Black Americans and the Korean community in the United States has not always been peaceful. Overwhelming, interactions in the U.S. between these communities have been the result of Korean businesses such as beauty supply store, fruit and vegetable markets and grocery store operating in predominantly Black communities. The 1990’s ushered in almost a decade of protest by the Black American community towards the Korean community do in part to feelings of disrespect, harassment and prejudice from Korean businesses in predominantly Black communities. In Brooklyn, NY there was a nine-month protest of a Korean grocery after allegations of the harassment and violence towards a Black American shopper. A few years later a Black American man in Harlem was arrested while attempting to burn down a Korean-owned store. Infamously the 1992 shooting of a fifteen-year-old Black American by a Korean grocery owner who alleged that the young girl was attempting to steal. This was one of many incidents in Los Angeles that led to riots in the area.

Why is it significant to mention the relationship between the Asian and Black American communities, because it shows how we have, for the most part, supported each other. Maybe I’m looking into all this too deeply, but its no coincidence that the foundation of Kpop is steeped in black American R&B and Hip/Hop. There is already a deep conversation among Black ARMY about the significance of not only naming the album Arirang, but how it ties into the support Koreans have received from the black community. It’s always been known how much Black American music influences and shapes Korean Pop. Yet, there have been numerous times in which other communities have pushed back on that fact and devalued the thoughts and views from Black K-Pop fans.

It Wouldn’t be a Comeback Without Controversy

With the impending release and the lack of a comeback schedule, ARMY were anxiously waiting for any drop or announcement from BigHit or HYBE. Finally on March 12th a trailer dropped called “BTS (Arirang) Animation Trailer: What is your love song?” The excitement was uncontainable and millions of fans ran to YouTube to finally get a glimpse of what to expect from this comeback. At the very beginning before the animated video began there was a disclaimer stating:

“This video was inspired by the seven young Koreans documented in The Washington Post on May8, 1896 (“Seven Koreans at Howard”), ….a modern reimagining, this draws upon the profound cultural significance of these historic recordings…this production may deviate from actual historical events and does not serve as a formal evaluation of interpretation of historical events or person.”

The beginning shows images of seven young Korean men standing around a phonograph, then morphs into images of them running onto a stream ship to America. At the :21 mark it shows these seven singing and it appears that their voices are being recorded. At :24 it shows a beautiful brightly lit animated image of the Howard University Founders Library https://founders.howard.edu/about/history clock tower appears. Singing on the ‘quad,” which is the common meeting ground on campus, the Korean men have a crowd in front of them. The crowd is a mixture of Black men and women and intermixed in this crowd are also White men and women. Although BTS has always made it a point to be inclusive throughout their career, it was at this point they may have messed up!

Thousands of Black fans got onto social media to express their anger and disappointment of the images of what is to be assumed to be Howard University. The commentary and viewpoints were met with those disregarding the frustration of Black K-Pop fans by saying BTS didn’t mean anything by it, they just wanted it to be inclusive, or it’s not that big of a deal. The fact is the reason why those 7 Korean students were welcomed into Howard was because HBCU’s were created specifically at a time when the majority of institutions did not allow non-white students to matriculate. It was meant to be a safe space for Blacks and any other marginalized person to feel seen, heard and safe from prejudice. So, to include images of so many White people within that video, some felt took away from the reason and purpose for why institutions such as Howard University were created in the first place.

Historically at the time of when the Arirang recording took place and the Korean students time at Howard, the campus was majority attended by Black men and women. So, to see so many depictions for White men and women portrayed in this video caused a huge controversy. However, it has been documented that as of 1867, when Howard first opened their doors the first five students were the daughters of the white professors. Howard was founded to be inclusionary, primarily to educate those recently freed from slavery. Unlike the primarily White institutions the university would be open to all races and colors, all classes and both sexes. At this time women were also discriminated against from seeking higher education. Therefore, allies of the Freedmen movement often sought out HBCU’s to pursue an education.

The animation although not entirely historically accurate, is also not inaccurate. Yes, in 1896 there were White students on that very campus. Maybe not in the abundance that was represented in the Arirang trailer, but, conceivably, there could have been Whites students interacting with those seven Korean men on the quad. Although during Howard’s early days to about the late to early 1900’s few if any Whites attended the university, today those numbers are far greater. As of 2017, about 13 percent of the 105 HBCU’s student population is made up of White students.

ARMY Learning Korean History Through Music

One of the most important aspects of being a fan of Korean Pop music, especially being a fan of BTS, is learning through their music about Korean history. For most, they may not have had the opportunity to learn about Korean History in their formal academic studies. I know in the Untied States the most that is taught about Korea as a whole, is the Korean War and the U.S. involvement in the war and continuing “support” of the region. Therefore, not unless you take the initiative to study on your own, your knowledge of Korean History is limited. BTS has always infused much of their music, both as a group and individual solo works to sharing their culture and the history of their homeland with ARMY. Group songs such as Idol, Ma City, and Spring Day, and solo works such as Daechwita and Haegeum showcase the rich history and culture of South Korea. Therefore, it makes sense the new album being titled Arirang is an extension of that education and ARMY’s undying curiosity to explore more about what Arirang is and what it means to Koreans.

Listening to diverse forms of music is another form of Culturally Immersive Learning in which the listener can learn through listening to music that explores culture and traditions outside of theirs own. It is an educational approach where individuals deeply engage with foreign culture or environments to understand its customs, language, and ways of life through direct, hands-on experiences.

Arirang is another gateway introduction into Korean cultural history through music that otherwise may not have been explored. It is another example of how music goes beyond entertainment; it can also unite and teach in ways traditional means of education could never accomplish.

What I Have Learned

Black Americans have been saying for decades, we are the blueprint for what is now mainstream globally. When it comes to music this statement rings true. Everything from Jazz, Blues, R&B, and rock music has been foundationally created by Blacks, dating back to the rhythm of African drums and using music as a form of communication. Music has always been the common language under which millions have found commonality and community. It is the universal language understood all over the world. Therefore, it warms my heart see how Blacks in American, as early as the 1890’s, have contributed in some part to the history of Korea. Unfortunately, for many, the history of the peninsula and Black Americans is intertwined with the Korean War, as many Black men were sent through the U.S. military.

BTS’s comeback after 4 years and titling the new album Arirang, not only ignited patriotism among Koreans, curiosity among millions about Korean culture and history, but inadvertently exposed a small but significant part of Black history. Throughout social media there were Howard University students and alumni who were hearing about the universitys’ involvement for the first time. They had immense pride in their school and how Black Americans had once again opened their arms and sacred spaces to others who were seeking out a welcoming home. I will forever be proud that, even through unimaginable atrocities, ongoing discrimination, and so many moments of being overlooked and misunderstood, we still stand strong and bring others along to stand strong beside us.

Arirang, for me, will forever and always represent more than just a musical comeback, or a part of Korean culture, it is now a part of my own history being Black in American.

Until Next Time…….

If you want to learn more about the history of HBCU’s, Howard University, or the relationships of Koreans and Black Americans in the United States please click on the links below:

A History of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Howard University-History & HU At a Glance

Korean Americans in the United States 1883-1990

Korea and African American Relations

Creating a Culture: The Music of Enslaved People