SB19 is the first Filipino idol group (P-Pop group) to debut under a Korean entertainment company.
The Filipino boyband is being thought of as being “racist” after they tweeted “Hello, Negros” that ignited confusion among netizens.
Hello, Negros!
We are now in your zone!
Excited na kami sa mga mangyayari sa aming first stop for our nationwide tour ?#SB19inNegros #SB19 #SB19_JOSH #SB19_SEJUN #SB19_STELL #SB19_KEN #SB19_JUSTIN pic.twitter.com/oMRAI1wO4M— SB19 Official (@SB19Official) December 21, 2019
Here are some of the critical reactions from people on Twitter.
imagine stanning racist asians. https://t.co/q7tG0Et8bn
— isaiah (@dojadrip) December 23, 2019
Be careful of the words you use
— Agent_Lymon (@HighLymonade) December 23, 2019
On the other hand, there are those who clarified the situation.
Hello everyone! We, A’TIN (SB19’s official fandom), would like to clarify that Negros is a place here in the Philippines. This post is not in anyway racist. We hope that we can clear this misunderstanding. Thank you and good day!
— ☆ ??????????ℝℝℝℝℝ ☆ (@LOVERSng_) December 23, 2019
There are a lot of people in these replies who
1. Never read the Spanish-language labels on their crayons as children
2. Need to understand that the word doesn’t mean what they think it means in *most* contexts
3. Should search up Negros on Google Maps for reassurance
— The Arctic Mark (@thearcticmark) December 24, 2019
Negros is an Island in the Philippines. Unfortunately, Spanish Colonizers named it. I hope you understand. Sorry if any of you were offended. #SB19 #PUSHAwardsATIN @SB19Official
SB19 D5ManilaCon pic.twitter.com/Gn5EF5QrHb— Gailalu (@phattypatata) December 23, 2019
Negros is simply an island in the Philippines where the group was holding a concert tour.
The island was initially called Buglas, but the Spanish named it Negros in 1565 after spotting “dark-skinned inhabitants” on the island.
The island is one of the largest in the country and it is home to over 4 million people.
SB19 is composed of Sejun, Stell, Josh, Ken, and Justin. The group trained under Seoul-based ShowBT and debuted in 2018 with the release of their single Tilaluha.
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