NewJeans faced new criticisms after the Korea Craft & Design Foundation released its hanji promotion video.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s affiliate, Korea Craft & Design Foundation, uploaded a new YouTube video Friday featuring the five members of NewJeans. The idols learn how to make hanji with the help of hanji-maker, Ahn Chi Yong.
The organization created the clip to promote the Korean tradition to K-pop fans globally.
However, the project caused NewJeans to face a new backlash.
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NewJeans Criticized After Hanji Making Video
NewJeans’ social media accounts, especially Instagram, have been bombarded with criticisms from Chinese online users after the release of the video.
The online users accused the girl group of cultural appropriation. They also clarified that the paper originates in China. Among the damaging comments read:
"Koreans earlier stole China's traditional knotting, they are now stealing papermaking, and maybe they will steal Chinese characters next time."
"You Koreans never studied history and so have a low understanding of it.”
“Chinese papermaking is older than Koryo, Korea, stop stealing Chinese civilization.”
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In response to this, fans slammed the haters and said NewJeans never said the paper was originally from Korea. They also clarified that the girl group only promoted its types.
Hanji Industry Support Center’s official website said the exact origin of hanji remains unknown. But it added that it has 1,000 years of history and that it originated in China.
“There is no clear historical record of the initial Hanji production in Korea, but the paper discovered from Bangmatan ancient tomb in China that made in the second century B.C., and suppose the paper production technology was transferred around this time,” the website read.
Chinese users brought back the issue Jang Won Young got involved in October. For what it’s worth, the IVE member said her binyeo phoenix hairpin was the "look of Korea in Paris.”
NewJeans’ OMG MV Controversy
Before the recent argument broke out, NewJeans was called out after the release of its OMG music video.
YouTube users called out the group for the clip’s intriguing message that seemingly targeted its fans and haters who previously commented on its Cookie lyrics. They said it targeted NewJeans’ fans who created false interpretations of its previous song; others slammed the group and accused it of portraying anti-fans as psychiatric patients.
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