Music / Idols
20110822_seoulbeats_g.na

G.na the New Victim of Korea’s Fiery Banning Sword

18

G.na’s teaser for the song” Banana”  was banned by MBC on August 17th, despite the whole song not even being released yet.   The reason behind the ban hasn’t been officially released, however it’s most likely due to the video or something they deemed suggestive in the lyrics.  I have seen the teaser and listened to the lyrics and the mentioning of banana is nothing I would call explicit, given that all she is saying is “I’m going banana”. The song to me sounds like a girl power song and she is going bananas, as in crazy.  The song is upbeat and catchy and the choreography is rather tame compared to Hyuna’s “Bubble Pop” and Raina’s “Dr. Feel Good”. So, why ban the song?

As we all know, songs in Kpop are being banned left, right, and center these days. It seems like the banning never ends. In my opinion the reasons for banned some of these songs have become a tad ridiculous.  For Example,

  • TVXQ’s “Mirotic” for the phrase “ under my skin”
  • Hyori’s “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and Rain’s “Love Song” for traffic violations
  • GD & TOP’s “Knock Out” for using slang that would damage the national psyche LOL
  •  TOP’s “Turn it Up” for indirect advertizing
  • Seungri’s “Strong Baby” for the use of the word “crack” because it promotes drugs
  • Sistar’s “How Dare You” for the use of a stripper pole even though the song itself isn’t suggestive
  •  any song that suggests being in a club

Sometimes the bans are justifiable, I won’t deny that. However, much more frequently the line between justifiable and laughable has been skewed. The reasons for banning songs in Korea have reached an infamous level. At times I think the people behind these banning don’t even have a grasp on reality and are unfortunately pushing moral preferences on the masses through heavy censorship.  This would be fine if they actually banned the truly explicit music. I can understand banned Hyuna’s and Raina’s choreography due to sexually suggestive nature, but G.na? Really?  There is absolutely nothing about her song that is suggestive.

There are a whole host of songs out there in the Kpop world that should be banned and are not.

  • Rainia’s “Dr. Feel Good” is a song that should have been banned, not just the dance but the song it’s self because the song is clearly about drugs and sex. But, I guess they missed that one
  • How about 2pm’s “All Night Long”? It wasn’t banned nor did it get a 19+ sticker
  • Shinee’s “Get it” certainly deserved a 19+ sticker, the “it” they are referring to I’m pretty sure isn’t a cup of coffee.
  • Lets not forget the song that tests everyone’s moral compass when it comes to cheating, Teen Top‘s “Don’t Spray Perfume”

I guess the Networks are too busy banning songs that have no business being banned. Now, I understand that there may be culture at play here and me being from the United States and my western sensibilities may see this from a different perspective than those in Korea. However, all culture aside I seriously doubt the fans in Korea don’t find the reasons for banning songs questionable even laughable.  I think what Korean Networks need to work on is looking at the actually content of a song rather than taking a song at face value and evaluated whether the content of the videos is something to be up in arms over. Who knew bananas were so offensive?

(CNNGO ;sg yahoo)

Related Posts

  • Ha An

    *rania

  • Natasha Lee

    Has 2PMs song “Hands Up” been banned? Isn’t it about partying and drinking and having a good time (in the club) ? Seriously, they don’t ban the songs they need to and because eof such silly banning at times, we have to suffer through the fluff that is bubble pop (and, no, I don’t mean HyunA’s song… but you could take it that way) and not even the one that tastes good.

    • Chloe W

      i think they skipped Hands Up one of the few in the club songs the didnt ban…..its sad

      • http://twitter.com/sirenasfun Jacky Wacky

        Actually, I think it has been banned recently, I could’ve sworn I saw something about it on KBS. If not, they’ll get around to it. They banned Jewelry’s song after it had already been out for three years.

  • AA

    I understand why they ban the music… it’s understandable.

    But that only depends on the songs that are banned… some deserve to be banned but aren’t. If Korea is so strict, why don’t they ban those songs as well??

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MEGAH5NUOS6RD2OYMMJ4XS2LCY MariaI

    It would be okay if they were consistent with it. The inconsistency makes it unfair & thats what ticks me off.

  • benny

    maybe they did not like the way she was dancing… but nothing out of the ordinary, still same old rubbish 

  • jyyjc

    What I find funny is that they ban songs for use of english slang or just plain english words that they think is suggestive but is actually not used in a suggestive way. And yet when english is used suggestively such as “dr dr feel good come make me feel real good…”, they don’t ban it. Like wtf?

  • Crissy

    You know they mine as well ban Kpop as a whole because the way Kpop’s been heading lately….

    Kpop industry targets NOT the young crowd but the pervs out there. I mean, what is up.. With 20+ year olds dressing all childlike and performing seductively( I say slutty). That’s some sick sh!t fetish I’d say. Hell, the group names, concept, and image alone is ban worthy.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1454993355 Kokonoe Stein

    GNA IS SEXY but moving on…isn’t it backward to ban and restrict certain little things about a dance/song/lyric/word/outfit in kpop while at the same time pushing and struggling to be ‘westernised’? i mean in comparison if america was as strict as korea with the precious banning labels then im sure about 75 percent of the music would just not exist anymore, which is also probably why nationally the us of a’s indutry is so well known and liked.

  • JW

     ” Seungri’s Strong Baby for the use of the word “crack” because it promotes drugs.” this cracks me up…………………oops.

  • falling

    If they are to ban songs, they should ban the song on its overall merit (like some of the examples you mention), not on just a single word or phrase

  • Pingback: Korean Fans Tire of the Banhammer?

  • Pingback: Psy “Right Now” video is Banned

  • Pingback: cool caravans

  • Pingback: best guest beds

  • Pingback: iphone slots

  • Pingback: clothing