KCON USA Under Fire for 'Racist' Job Posting + Addresses Issue in Official Statement
Netizens are slamming KCON USA for a racist job posting, which led the organization to address the controversial matter through an official statement.
Here's what happened.
KCON USA Slammed for 'Racist' Job Posting + Releases Official Statement to Address Issue
KCON USA has replied to a racist job posting.
KCON is one of the most anticipated Hallyu music festivals, since it features various K-pop artists, and pulling thousands of fans in the event. With a music festival this large, it's normal to hire temporary workers for its three-day spectacle.
This includes posting on job websites such as Backstage. However, despite their intention, netizens were shocked to see KCON USA's job description for the upcoming event.
The description stated the job demands women with age of 18 to 30, and that the required ethnicity only includes "Asian, White / European Descent."
Kcon is actually racist as hell wtf pic.twitter.com/sdq4DCknH0
— marisa βοΈ (@nanasbannanas) July 17, 2023
KCON USA's job post was immediately caught in hot waters.
Netizens voiced their outrage on how racist the post was, and that it caused many to feel uncomfortable to attend or work for the festival because of its prejudiced policies.
me not being qualified to work kcon bc im not asian nor whiteβ¦. @Backstage RACIST WEIRDOS pic.twitter.com/pO4xLDPI0N
— amber (@cuitknj) July 17, 2023
same i was gonna apply last year n saw that they only hired wytes n asians and the only time i did see non asian poc was when the convention was ending like they had them handing out freebies n shitt it so gross when i realized what they were doing
— sofi (@ddalgichaengs) July 17, 2023
this literally goes against Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964 *AND* Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 πππππ lawsuit looking real nice on y'all @KCON_official @kconusa https://t.co/jqRbbkIDPA
— ζ¨ β || lynn α°.α (@seolarflame) July 18, 2023
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: KCON 2023 LA 1st Artist Lineup Announced: Stray Kids, ITZY, More!
Meanwhile, some mentioned that KCON had actually violated several laws, which can lead to serious legal issues.
Following the intense backlash, KCON USA replied on their their official SNS. On Twitter and Instagram, the festival uploaded an open notice, addressing the issue at hand.
The organization claimed the job posting was not authorized by them, nor they are promoting it. KCON USA assured the post is currently being investigated and has denounced any actions that involve racial profiling or discrimination.
Read their full statement below:
"NOTICE.
The job posting at issue has been brought to our attention, and we are taking this matter seriously. We want to inform all of our KCONers and the public that we have not given the post authorization, nor endorsed it, and we are now actively investigating the source and culprit with this unauthorized and discriminatory posting.
We strongly condemn any actions that involve racial profiling or any discrimination whatsoever. This issue runs counter to KCON's very core spirit, which celebrates inclusivity and diversity. Moving on, we will take action to prevent similar instances from happening in our event."
— KCON USA (@kconusa) July 18, 2023
However, many people weren't convinced with the apology, criticizing KCON USA for speaking out when the job posting trended online.
They remarked:
- "You're all saying sorry now because lots of people brought it to light. You guys know exactly what you wanted and what your intentions are when you posted "Asian / European or White.'"
- "Why on earth do you need specify a certain race if you weren't discriminating?"
- "If people didn't speak up, you never would've said anything."
What are your thoughts on this? Would you still attend KCON USA? Let us know in the comments below!
Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news.
