List of K-pop music videos banned by South Korean television networks

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The following is a non-exhaustive list of K-pop videos that have been banned by one or more South Korean television networks, for reasons such as suggestive or offensive lyrics and imagery.

K-pop is characterized by a wide variety of audiovisual elements, and K-pop singles will typically include a music video and a dance routine. There is a history of media censorship and conservatism in South Korea, and as a result, many risque or explicit K-pop songs or videos have been banned from airing by the country's major television and radio networks. Other reasons for a ban are songs featuring Japanese lyrics, negative influences upon youth, or product placement, either in the song or within the video the use of brand names.

KBS, MBC, and SBS are the three networks, and account for the vast majority of banned K-pop videos. Between 2009 and 2012, they banned over 1,300 K-pop songs.[1] This list only includes titular k-pop songs that have an accompanying music video, but many K-pop songs that were not title tracks have been banned as well. However, social media and YouTube have allowed singers and bands to round these restrictions, and may in themselves pressure networks to accept videos after their online popularity has been proven with appropriate edits.

List of banned K-pop videos from KBS, SBS, and MBC[edit]

Song Title Artist Reason Year Banned By
"Call Call Call" U;Nee Sexually suggestive scenes[2] 2005 SBS
"10 Minutes" Lee Hyori Sexually suggestive scenes[3] 2003 SBS
"Turn It Up" T.O.P. Indirect advertisement.[4] 2010 MBC
"Gentleman" Psy Showing destruction of public property.[5] 2013 KBS
"Catallena" Orange Caramel "Devaluing human life" by having the members be wrapped in plastic packages wearing sushi costumes.[6] 2014 KBS
"Joker" Dal Shabet Title is similar to crude Korean word for male genitalia, as well as explicit dance moves.[7] 2015 KBS
"Marionette" Stellar Explicit dance moves, nudity.[8] 2014 KBS
"Uh-ee" Crayon Pop Use of a Japanese word.[9] 2014 KBS
"Island" Winner Homosexual imagery.[10] 2017 KBS
"Love Don't Hurt" Shannon Imagery of nudity, tattoos, and smoking.[11] 2017 KBS
"Dreaming I" F.Cuz Rebellious plot that could be a negative influence for teenagers[12] 2012 KBS
"I Remember" Bang Yong-guk Scenes containing shooting and other violence.[13] 2011 KBS
"Beep" Park Ji-yoon Closing credits were excessively long.[14] 2014 KBS
"Pass Me By" Brown Eyed Soul Use of trademark or brand names.[14] 2014 KBS
"Udon" Kang Min Kyung & Son Dong Woon Use of a Japanese word for the title.[15] 2010 KBS
"I'll Call Ya" M.O.A. Poor video quality.[14] 2014 KBS
"Shower Later" Gary Mature, provocative content, curses, and inappropriate expressions.[16] 2014 KBS, MBC, SBS
"Bad Girls" Lee Hyori Problematic scenes including a student using a slingshot and a teacher who sexually assaults the students.[17] 2013 KBS
"Angel" Hoya Sexual content within the lyrics.[18] 2018 KBS
"Instagram" Dean Instagram reference.[19] 2017 KBS
"DDD" EXID Profane lyrics.[20] 2017 KBS
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" Lee Hyori Depictions of unsafe driving, including dancing atop vehicles and in roadways, and operating a vehicle without a seatbelt.[21] 2010 KBS
"How Dare You" Sistar Pole dance move and belittling lyrics like "Why you play these games?".[22] 2010 KBS
"Freeze!" Block B Lyrics describing unwholesome dating methods. It was banned twice after the lyrics were edited.[23] 2011 KBS
"Paradise Lost" Gain Provocative dance moves.[24] 2015 KBS, MBC, SBS
"Lotto" Exo Reference to the sportswear brand of the same name.[25] 2016 KBS, MBC
"Cherry Bomb" NCT 127 Violent lyrics. Remained banned after second review.[26] 2017 KBS
"Fxxk It" Big Bang Explicit lyrics, including slang words.[27] 2016 KBS
"Rocket Girl" Stellar Violence and sexually suggestive content.[28] 2011 KBS
"We Like 2 Party" BigBang Indirect advertisement and profanity.[29] 2015 KBS
"One More" Fiestar Lyrics alluding to a ménage à trois.[30] 2014 MBC
"Fly" Jessica Use of brand names.[31] 2016 KBS
"Full House" MOBB Use of brand name, derogatory remarks, and mention of drunk driving.[32] 2016 KBS
"Body" Minho Use of brand name.[32] 2016 KBS
"HOLUP!" Bobby Swearing, derogatory terms, Japanese lyrics, uses of brand names, and alcohol abuse.[32] 2016 KBS
"January" Beenzino Facebook product placement.[33] 2016 KBS
"Dope" BTS Vulgar lyrics.[34] 2015 KBS
"Oh Nana" Kard Instagram product placement.[35] 2017 KBS
"Kill This Love" Blackpink Rosé is depicted operating a vehicle without a seatbelt.[36] 2019 KBS

Aftermath of bans[edit]

Revising[edit]

Often, the entertainment company that owns the banned song attempt to revise the song and have it reevaluated by the broadcaster's standards and practices department, and will edit the music video to remove the scenes in question, or even create a special 'network cut' meant for broadcast by that network. Other times, they may alter the explicit dance moves or change a song's lyrics so that the song may still be performed on music shows, such as Music Bank. In the case of EXO's "Lotto," which was banned due to it referring to the sportswear brand, the group substituted the word with "louder" to be able to perform it on KBS and MBC.[25]

Although K-pop songs and videos are often banned by KBS, MBC or SBS are more lenient in their content adjustments. Some groups are content to promote themselves on networks other than KBS and do not make any changes to their original material. In regards to PSY's "Gentleman," a spokesperson for YG Entertainment said they had no plans to submit a different version of their video, and they followed the decision made by KBS.[37]

When 12 of 18 songs for Cheetah's 2018 album 28 Identity were deemed unfit for broadcast by KBS and five by SBS, the agency stated that they did not plan on making any changes to the lyrics to "keep the original intentions and meanings of the song."[38]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ KpopStarz (April 30, 2014). "What It Takes To Get A Song Banned From Broadcast Stations In Korea". KpopStarz. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  2. ^ U;nee "Call Call Call" [U;nee 'banned from broadcasting']. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). 2005. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Daum.
  3. ^ 이효리 "방송퇴출" [Lee Hyori 'banned from broadcasting']. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). August 26, 2003. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Daum.
  4. ^ "[News] MBC banned TOP's Turn it up". Daily K Pop News. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  5. ^ "South Korean TV Network Bans Psy's 'Gentleman' Music Video".
  6. ^ "KBS Rules That Orange Caramel's "Catellena" MV Has Scene That "Disregards Human Life" | Soompi". Soompi. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  7. ^ "Dal Shabet: Why Was K-Pop Group's New Music Video 'Joker' Banned? [Video]". The Inquisitr. April 25, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "엉덩이로 방아 찧고 돌린 '스텔라' 19禁 판정…"쉿! 케이블에선 다 보여줄게"" (in Korean). Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  9. ^ Gale, Alastair (April 3, 2014). "Crayon Pop's 'Uh-ee' Banned for Shiny Japanese Word". WSJ. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  10. ^ "KBS bans WINNER's 'Island' due to "homosexuality" imagery". SBS PopAsia. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  11. ^ "Shannon's MV for 'Love Don't Hurt' deemed unfit for broadcast due to nudity, tattoos, and smoking". Allkpop. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  12. ^ "F.CUZ's "Dreaming i" MV deemed unfit for broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  13. ^ "Bang Yong Guk's "I Remember" MV deemed unfit for broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  14. ^ a b c "Park Ji Yoon, Brown Eyed Soul, and M.O.A's MVs deemed unfit for broadcast by KBS". Allkpop. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  15. ^ "Kang Minkyung, Dongwoon's 'Udon' single deemed 'unfit' for broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  16. ^ "Gary's 'Shower Later' deemed unsuitable for broadcast by SBS". Allkpop. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  17. ^ "KBS deems Lee Hyori's "Bad Girls" MV inappropriate for broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  18. ^ "Hoya's 'Angel' deemed unfit for KBS broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  19. ^ "DEAN's 'Instagram' deemed unfit for KBS broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  20. ^ "EXID's comeback title track deemed unfit for KBS broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  21. ^ "Lee Hyori's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang MV gets banned". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  22. ^ "SISTAR's "How Dare You" fails KBS review". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  23. ^ "Block B's "Freeze!" gets banned for the second time without an explanation". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  24. ^ "Gain Goes In on New 'Hawwah' EP, Religion and South Korea's Conservative Music Industry". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  25. ^ a b "EXO Changes Title Track "Lotto" For KBS And MBC Promotions | Soompi". Soompi. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  26. ^ "NCT127 '체리밤' KBS 재심의서 또 부적격 판정". 다음 연예 (in Korean). June 21, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  27. ^ "KBS bans Big Bang's 'Fxxk It' for 'inappropriate' lyrics". Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  28. ^ "KBS bans Stellar's debut MV, "Rocket Girl", for violence and sexually suggestive content". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  29. ^ "BIGBANG release "We Like 2 Party" music video". SBS PopAsia. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  30. ^ "FIESTAR's "One More" Banned by MBC for Threesome References | Soompi". Soompi. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  31. ^ "Jessica's new song 'Fly' banned on KBS". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  32. ^ a b c "KBS bans all of MOBB's songs except for 'Hit Me'". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  33. ^ "HyunA, Fei, Heize, and Beenzino's new tracks banned by KBS". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  34. ^ "Six of BTS's songs from new album deemed unfit for broadcast". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  35. ^ "DSP 측 "K.A.R.D '오나나', 재녹음 후 다시 KBS 심의 신청"". 비즈엔터. December 8, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  36. ^ Lee, Han-na (April 30, 2019). "Blackpink's new music video Kill This Love banned from TV after Rose is seen driving without a seat belt". South China Morning Post. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  37. ^ Kwaak, Jeyup S. (April 18, 2013). "South Korean TV Network Bans Psy's Video". WSJ. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  38. ^ "12 songs in Cheetah's new album deemed unfit for KBS + agency says no changes will be made in lyrics". Allkpop. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
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