Over the weekend, rapper CupcakKe, also known as Elizabeth Harris, tweeted something sexually suggestive about a member from the Korean pop group BTS.
She specifically said, "Jungkook stan mad I said imma fuck Jungkook.. lmao I said what I said and I meant that shit." She is referring to the backlash she received for expressing her desires to be sexually involved with Jungkook of BTS.
Since then, the group’s fans have completely lost all sensibilities about how to deal with someone sexualizing a figure, who they themselves sexualize.
People have commented on CupcakKe’s Instagram posts telling her to kill herself and have posted anti-black comments.
Actions like these from a fanbase are completely and utterly unacceptable. It does not matter that CupcakKe is a big star, using violent and insulting language toward a person online is still wrong.
CupcakKe pointed out the hypocrisy of the fans when she quote tweeted a thread that a K-pop fan made. In the thread, the fan tweeted every day for 365 days about how she wanted one of the members of BTS to perform oral sexual favors on her.
Besides not liking the vulgarity and bluntness of her statement, the fanbase criticized CupcakKe for sexualizing the youngest member of BTS.
Jungkook is indeed the youngest member of the group at age 20. However, this criticism falls flat, considering CupcakKe is also 20 years old.
The fanbase is trying to promote the narrative that CupcakKe is sexualizing a young musician but both of them are the same age. Fans are concerned that Jungkook will see her comment because she is verified, and he will be deeply disturbed by it.
To make matters worse, parts of the fanbase have responded to the issue with violent racism.
One fan, in response to the prospect of Jungkook and CupcakKe ever hooked up said, “If Jungkook is going to f*ck a black woman it will NOT be her. Let’s look for a more innocent young black woman, maybe a model. I’m afraid he will contract something not so good. We can’t afford to have his body contaminated.”
The fan is implying that the K-pop band member would never have sex with a black woman, and if he ever did, it should be someone more innocent than CupcakKe because she might give him a disease.
The most horrible part about this whole comment is the belief that, by sleeping with CupcakKe, Jungkook’s body will be "contaminated."
One user on a K-pop forum, Damewon, said that after looking at CupcakKe’s posts on Instagram, he believed she probably did all of this to bait the fanbase and play the victim.
In light of sexual harassment allegations, people may be quick to make accusations and criticize the suspects as soon as the evidence is presented. Typically, they have every reason to.
While CupcakKe's original comments can be classified as sexual harassment, BTS's fanbase responded with far more critical language than is necessary. The fans have no reason to be as inflammatory as they are being, especially when they themselves have displayed similar behaviors.
CupcakKe is known for her vulgarity and sex-positive nature, so let’s not demonize the sexuality of a black woman or insinuate her body is some kind of contaminant.
mmgarbac@indiana.edu
