Previously, students from Euijeongbu High School stirred up a heated issue when they dressed up as GhanaŌĆÖs famous dancing pallbearers and painted their faces ŌĆ£black,ŌĆØ commonly known as ŌĆ£blackface.ŌĆØ During his interview, Sam Okyere said, ŌĆ£I think a lot of people misunderstood. A lot of people thought that my intent was to call out and bash the kids, but I understand where the kids were coming from. They did not mean to cause any harm. They thought that they were doing a parody, they might as well do it in detail. It was coming from a misinformed place, not from wanting to mock black people.ŌĆØ He added, ŌĆ£I feel like the people did not know the history behind ŌĆśblackface,ŌĆÖ and why it is offensive. People didnŌĆÖt really understand or grasp that concept and went, ŌĆśOh, itŌĆÖs just a parody,ŌĆÖ but some Koreans were able to make the connection.ŌĆ£ Regarding the controversy over his ŌĆ£controversialŌĆØ gesture during the Abnormal Summit, he said, ŌĆ£We were trying to do ugly faces, so there was no intent of mocking Koreans or Asians. That wouldnŌĆÖt make any sense because I work and live in Korea.ŌĆØ You can check the interview here. Source (1, 2)
