Korean broadcaster KBS have deemed a song by girl-group CRAYON POP unfit for broadcast because it contains “Japanese-style expressions”.

The term in question is “pika-banjjak”, and amalgamation of the Japanese “pika pika” and the Korean “banjjak banjjak“, both of which mean “sparkly”. Now, in order to get their song broadcast, the group have changed the lyric back to the pure Korean term, “banjjak banjjak“.

Naturally, the news has raised eyebrows in Japan, where K-pop fans are disheartened while the netouyo see it as further reason to bash Korea.

But why do you think KBS banned the song? Is Japanese offensive? Or do they have other concerns at heart?

Comments from Yonhap:

[Entertainment] Korean Idol Group’s New Song “Unfit For Broadcast” Due To Use Of Japanese

Five-piece Korean idol girl group, CRAYON POP, have had their new song, “Uh-ee” deemed unfit for broadcast by television station KBS due to the fact that the lyrics contain a Japanese-style expression.

On April 3, a spokesperson from KBS revealed that as a result of a recently-held deliberation over songs, the expression “pikabanjjak”, which uses the “pika” from the Japanese term “pikapika” [sparkly] in the lyrics of the new song “Oi” had caused the problem.

In relation to this, a spokesperson for CRAYON POP’s agency stated that “The lyric has been corrected to “banjjak banjjak” (the Korean equivalent of pika pika), and we have placed a requested that the song be reconsidered immediately”.

“Uh-ee” is the first new song from CRAYON POP in ten months, following the release of their hit song from last year, “BAR BAR BAR”. A group with an extremely unique concept, since their debut there has been interest in their costumes, dance moves, and lyrics.

Comments from 2ch.net:

名無しさん:

Discrimination-nation, Korea.

名無しさん:

Hang about….

名無しさん:

Are Japan’s politicians aware of this, I wonder?

名無しさん:

Are we at war?

I get it, you can’t use the enemies’ language.

Japan should also stop putting words in Chosen on signs too.

名無しさん:

We can’t ever be friends with a country like that.

名無しさん:

They have zero intention of being friends with us.

名無しさん:

Is it only Japanese that’s a problem? What about English and Chinese?

名無しさん:

J guess it’s a good idea if Japan also bans the broadcast of Korean.

We don’t understand a word of it, and I don’t think it’s useful.

名無しさん: [in response to above]

※ If Japan did this it would be discrimination.

名無しさん:

And all when they use loads of words of Japanese origin anyway!

Comments from Twitter:

たぁ～し:

Weird country!

K.Katayama:

Looks like South Korea’s becoming like the north.

だーにし:

The media is really strict if they ban something from broadcast just because it contains a Japanese-style expression.

Who’s in charge here, the government or the media?

Rather than this, their straight five engine dance is what concerns me.

Akihiko:

So they hate Japan that much.

のあ:

This is sad (´･_･`) RT @bellnanaai

名探偵あちょ♡:

It’s this kind of stuff about Korea that makes me think it’s a horrible place. So what if they said something in Japanese? 笑

とっしー:

I don’t really have an opinion on this, but it’s funny that they say “banjjak banjjak (the Korean equivalent of pikapika)”

める〈melchior〉:

I thought that this case was just something I had to tweet about.

はらぴー: