If you’re a K-Pop fan and you haven’t heard of this, there’s an all American K-Pop group who call themselves EXP edition. Yep, all of them are American but they’re really into K-Pop. They even talk in Korean and sing Korean songs.
While none of the members are Korean, nor can they speak Korean fluently, EXP edition actively refer to themselves as a K-Pop group with the tagline “Born in NY, made in Seoul.” The group is composed of Koki Tomlinson, Frankie DaPonte, Hunter Kohl, Šime Košta, who all moved from the United States to South Korea in order to learn the language and record their debut album.
Upon their debut and the release of their “Feel Like This” music video, some people are, well, not too happy about it.
@exp_edition Born in NY, stay in NY. Make a boy band from your native tongue thanks.
— Lucy (@Roseshairflip) April 13, 2017
why EXP EDITION are not and will never be kpop
– a thread – pic.twitter.com/NEDW2FSmoX
— #1 exp anti / pinned (@daeguarchives) April 13, 2017
Exp Edition: Hello, we're a new kpop-
Kpop twitter: pic.twitter.com/n6BvUx90Oa— anti exp edition (@expeditionanti) April 14, 2017
Some are saying that just because they can sing and talk in Korean, doesn’t make them a K-Pop group.
@yeoIsdae @allkpop "They sing in Korean" ok so do I, if I post a low quality MV am I a kpop star now??????
— 티파니 (@jicheolcarat) April 13, 2017
EXP EDITION (debut 2017) pic.twitter.com/fKZF33HJHb
— mango (@jeonsbutt) April 13, 2017
Others are calling them out for cultural appropriation and telling them to just stick with being “A-Pop” or American Pop.
omo I was watching exp edition's videos on yt and this is the only comment that made any sense at all pic.twitter.com/XvThbSw4ac
— CHAEYOUNG DAY!!! (@Igbtwice) April 14, 2017
Retweet if you think the four white boys should stick to American pop
It's really not that hard @exp_edition pic.twitter.com/nOgm8Bo0bM— sofia; PHS (@FentyYoongii) April 14, 2017
@exp_edition y'all better disband pic.twitter.com/4d6asjpkRJ
— ㅤiesha (@wingstrbI) April 13, 2017
When K-Pop entertainment site Allkpop tweeted about them, people are finding it hard to accept them as a K-Pop group when the “K is missing in K-Pop”.
All American K-Pop group EXP EDITION are filled with excitement in 'Feel Like This' MV teaser https://t.co/ZzUxF966PG pic.twitter.com/iFZASDwMNs
— allkpop (@allkpop) April 13, 2017
@allkpop Me trying to find the "K" in kpop pic.twitter.com/6ZRS6T2773
— 규 (@sujus_twt) April 13, 2017
@allkpop that's A-pop not K-pop
— Miss Bom's Attorney (@pyopeasant) April 13, 2017
For some, the issue isn’t them being American or that they need to be Korean to be considered a K-Pop group. It’s just that their songs and them singing in Korean can’t be qualified as K-Pop.
EXP edition: Annyeonghaseyo, we’re K-Pop…
K-Pop fans: