Could K-Pop Enthusiasts Possibly Play a Role in Saving the World?
In the world of K-pop, fans are not just spectators, but an active force for change. This is evident in the grassroots movement known as K-pop4Planet, a platform and community dedicated to promoting sustainability within the K-pop industry.
Funded by Actions Speak Louder, an Australia-based nonprofit global campaigning organization, K-pop4Planet has been making waves since its launch in March 2021 by Nurul Sarifah and Dayeon Lee. The community aims to empower fans who feel clueless or powerless in the face of worsening conditions and collaborate with global fandoms to ensure projects are Earth-friendly.
One of their most notable actions was a peaceful protest outside HYBE's Seoul headquarters on Earth Day. Fans, dressed as bees and performing K-pop hits, staged a protest to demand greener album options. The protest involved a statue made of unused albums and a petition with over 10,000 signatures delivered to company representatives. The following day, fans returned over 8,000 albums to HYBE to reinforce their demand.
This protest was part of the ongoing campaign No K-pop on a Dead Planet, led by Lee, which calls on South Korean entertainment companies to adopt low-emission concerts and limit plastic use in albums.
K-pop4Planet's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Korea's top entertainment firms have received their proposals and suggestions regarding digital albums and sustainably-made albums. The companies have shown they are listening to K-pop4Planet's voice, according to Sarifah.
The community has also targeted Indonesian e-commerce giant Tokopedia to pivot to using renewable energy in its data centers, delivery services, and offices by 2030.
K-pop4Planet is now targeting plastic album waste, a crucial barometer for K-pop charts and awards, as a new focus. They are planning a new campaign to confront music streaming platforms about their data centers, which emit a large volume of carbon emissions. The goal is to get streaming companies to switch to data centers that run on renewable energy.
The impact of K-pop4Planet's actions is significant. In 2021, over 57 million K-pop albums were sold, a 37% increase from the year before. Dedicated BTS fans that collect and purchase 15 albums and EPs, tickets to five shows, and merch have spent around $1,422, according to e-commerce aggregator iPrice.
The movement has also gained the support of K-pop stars. In December 2020, Blackpink, a global K-pop sensation, uploaded a video titled "Climate Action In Your Area" online. The video featured Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie, and Rose and spoke about the growing threat of climate change and urged fans to take action.
Long-time K-pop fan Nurul Sarifah saw this video as an opportunity to mobilize global K-pop fans to fight the climate crisis. And with K-pop4Planet, she has done just that. The movement is in the thick of planning out their next campaign, ready to continue their fight for a greener K-pop industry.
