K-pop stans have been stepping up amid the Black Lives Matter protests, stopping snitches at marches, and blocking their favourite acts from trending online so as not to distract from the urgent demonstrations against police brutality following George Floyd’s murder two weeks ago (May 25). Now, fans of the South Korean boy band BTS – AKA the BTS Army – have gone even further, raising $1 million for organisations fighting for racial equality.
A group of fans, known as One In An Army, initially launched their fundraising campaign on June 1, in response to stans’ request to help the BLM movement. In just four and a half days, the BTS Army had raised $50k for organisations that provide resources and long-term support to Black people.
On Saturday (June 6), it was announced that BTS and their management company, Big Hit Entertainment, had donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter. The band had previously tweeted about the movement, writing: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I, and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”
When fans found out about the donation, they were determined to match the amount, launching the #MatchAMillion campaign on Twitter. By Sunday (June 7) – just one day later – BTS stans had successfully matched the band’s donation.
“We’ve run big projects before,” a One In An Army spokesperson said in a press release, “but the amount of support for this project is overwhelming. We truly didn’t know whether the goal would be reached. We’re so proud that ARMY have once again chanelled their power for good, and are making a real impact in the fight against anti-black racism.”
The group says they have no plans to end the fundraiser, and have given it a permanent page on their website. “Black Lives Matter isn’t something that has a time limit,” the spokesperson continued. “It’s a belief everyone needs to carry in their everyday lives. We stand in solidarity with the Black ARMY. They’re an important part of our family. And we stand in solidarity with Black people everywhere. Your voices deserve to be heard.”
As well as Black Lives Matter, One In An Army’s fundraiser is raising money for M4BL, the NAACP, Reclaim the Block, Black Vision Collective, and more. You can donate here.