“Leave Africa Alone!”: Fans Are Sick Of This Racist K-Drama Trope
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The Hallyu wave has successfully brought Korean entertainment to the forefront of international media — but it has also highlighted problematic tropes that have long gone unchecked. Among these, the depiction of Africa stands out as particularly egregious, sparking significant backlash from the international fanbase more often than not.
| tvN Instances of the continent being mocked and disrespected have unfortunately become more and more apparent in several series as of late, with the most recent controversy coming from Queen Of Tears — a current hit show. In episode 3 of the series, one of the characters recalls his time in Africa as filled with “barbarism and wildness,” a statement that grossly misrepresents the continent’s rich diversity and culture.
Many fans have taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share how this portrayal is not only inaccurate but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident either.
save africa from kdrama writers
#QueenOfTears #QueenOfTearsEp3 pic.twitter.com/NLL5HDTrD2
— ᴊ ᴏ ᴏ ɴ (@jooonyiie) March 16, 2024
streets saying we saving africa in today’s episode and it’s soocheol who is doing it this time#QueenOfTearsEp3 #QueenOfTears pic.twitter.com/Nn8fsuj3ML
— yas
| QUEEN OF TEARS (@rimonmee) March 16, 2024
The Impossible Heir faced similar criticism for its depiction of an African refugee relief, choosing to focus on poverty and the need for “salvation” rather than the continent’s strengths and beauties. Such representations feed into a narrative that Africa is a place of despair, in dire need of external rescue, ignoring the continent’s achievements, progress, and vibrant cultures.
i just let out the loudest sigh…mind u this is the third drama this year alone and we still in march pic.twitter.com/1c9Gyc2gEe
— yas
no cause these writers could’ve added so many beautiful things about africa rather than writing about how we need to be saved from poverty or how we are so wild like idk u must be such an evil spirited person to keep using the same thing everytime pic.twitter.com/c98Vux0tsX
— yas
Another glaring misrepresentation occurred in Kokdu: Season of Deity, where characters inaccurately referred to Antigua and Barbuda as African countries, further demonstrating mockery and lack of respect in the eyes of many fans. The dialogue that followed only worsened the offense, as the characters joked about education in Africa involving “racing with cheetahs and drinking water with hippos.”
kdrama writers need to LEAVE AFRICA ALONE pic.twitter.com/cHwOmi8JIc
— yas
The issue is reminiscent of previous backlash against Sh**ting Stars in 2022, where the show was criticized for its “white savior” complex and for using a “yellow filter” when depicting Africa, a technique that colors foreign places as “less fortunate,” “dangerous,” and “underdeveloped.”
According to many fans, these instances are symptomatic of a broader problem within the Korean entertainment industry’s portrayal of foreign cultures, particularly Africa. Fans of the shows, as well as the K-Drama industry as a whole, are pleading for greater cultural sensitivity and awareness among writers and producers. They argue that these narratives not only disrespect the depicted cultures but also diminish the quality and global appeal of K-Dramas themselves.
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