Movies Interesting Facts 
BTS and Blackpink, two of the most famous K-pop bands that dominate Western territories over their domestic artists, have been embroiled in the Israel-Palestine conflict for the past few months. From calls for disengagement from Zionism to support for Palestine, fandom has been divided. However, neither band has made any public statement on the matter. K-pop bands are now facing a social media boycott as part of a larger ‘block out’ movement in support of Palestine.
What is the blockout call amid Gaza war?
The 2023 Israel–Hamas war began on 7 October when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. After this attack, Israeli Defense Forces retaliated. For more than 7 months, the tension between these two old rivals has raised global concern over the crisis not only in terms of deaths and property damage but also on humanitarian grounds. The blockout campaign aims to boycott prominent artists who avoid speaking out on the issue and use high-profile platforms like the Met Gala to raise awareness.
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The Met Gala was in full swing in the United States, while in the Gaza Strip, homes were being destroyed in Rafah. Celebrities were widely criticized for maintaining silence in the face of the crisis, leading to the launch of a social media campaign called “BlockOut2024”. The campaign encourages users to hold celebrities and companies “accountable” for their failure to respond to the humanitarian crisis, despite their widespread presence on social media.
Why are BTS and BLACKPINK facing blockout calls?
Bisson Owda, a Peabody Award-winning Palestinian journalist known for his coverage of the Gaza crisis, took the campaign to Instagram. The #BlockOut2020 campaign, which started with TikTok users calling out celebrities, aims to hold them accountable for their silence during the Gaza crisis. On Instagram, Ouda posted lists from another account identifying celebrities to block, including K-pop group BTS and K-pop group Blackpink. Apart from the major groups, many other Western artists were also mentioned including Selena Gomez, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Taylor Swift, Shakira, Harry Styles, Sydney Sweeney, Lisa’s Different Handle, Oprah Winfrey.
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fans react
The Palestinian journalist’s post on social media sparked considerable controversy, especially among K-pop fans. The post mentioned the popular K-pop group, BTS, which has already faced calls for a boycott due to HYBE’s relationship with HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun and their statements on Palestine. However, fans quickly rallied to defend the Dynamite Singers, feeling that the group was unfairly targeted as they are not actively involved in business matters and are currently fulfilling their military obligations. Have been. Throughout the day, various hashtags such as “We Support BTS,” “We Will Never Leave BTS,” and “We Are With BTS” trended on social media platforms, showcasing fans’ unwavering support for the group.
