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Rookie K-pop boy group EPEX has returned to the music industry with their third mini-album Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 1. '21st Century Boys on April 11. The group subsequently released a music video for the title track Anthem of Teen Spirit, which is packed full of foot-stomping choreography and unique concepts.
Despite a powerful comeback, EPEX received criticism for the song’s lyrics as it referred to and stated a tragic historical event, Kristallnacht, in its title track. 'Crystal Night' or 'Night of Broken Glasses' was an organized massacre of the Jewish community in Germany that took place in November 1938. The horror of the incident still lingers in the minds of German citizens and the rest of the world.
Upon receiving heavy backlash, EPEX’s agency, C9 Entertainment released an official statement apologizing to viewers and listeners around the world, and has also changed certain lyrics which were considered offensive by the audience.
"We take full responsibility for the controversy that has arisen, and we apologize again to the people who were offended."
C9 Entertainment makes changes to the lyrics of EPEX's title track 'Anthem of Teen Spirit'
After EPEX's admirable comeback to the music scene with its latest third mini-album on April 11, Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 1. '21st Century Boys, the octet has been trending for a rather controversial topic pertaining to the lyrics used in their title track Anthem of Teen Spirit.
Unintentionally, a few lines in the track refer to the horrific historical event which took place in Germany in 1938, the 'Crystal Night,' also known as ‘Kristallnacht.'
On April 12, EPEX came under fire for insensitive content included in the title track as well as the music video for the same. Combined with guns, hostage scenes, and outfits that resembled Nazi military uniforms, the group's agency C9 Entertainment was blamed for poor execution and negligence.
On April 13, 2022, EPEX’s agency released an official statement regarding the controversy related to the lyrics of Anthem of Teen Spirit and the costumes that the members wore for the music video.
The agency stated that the lyrics to the song were based on various literary works and theories. The song Anthem of Teen Spirit points out the harm caused by the robotized education system that the youth in Korea are experiencing nowadays.
“In the lyrics, ‘the night in the crystal’ expresses the realistic life of teenagers, used as a metaphor of the images of children burning in competition in the windows of numerous academies that are lit up brightly like crystal every night."
The agency then continued its metaphoric explanation:
"It is another expression of the glass paperweight appearing in book '1984’. Also in '1984' the main character’s most precious 'glass paperweight' was broken when he was arrested by party members, hence the words were combined and used in the lyrics.”
C9 Entertainment's statement continued:
“It has absolutely nothing to do with actual historical events. The above expression was judged complacently as an element of metaphor, and the data was not checked more carefully and in detail. We apologize to everyone in Korea and abroad for not paying attention to the use of controversial content."
The agency has now changed the lyrics to the song and has also re-recorded it with the changes. The title track will be re-registered as soon as possible for global fans. Additionally, C9 Entertainment confirmed that the costumes used in the music video have nothing to do with any historical events, groups, people or parties.
"We were unintentionally misunderstood, we would like to change some parts of the lyrics: ‘the night in the crystal - Myself in the crystal, ‘Tonight the crystals that protected us are shattered - the crystals that protected us are shattered, Today, I will. ‘I see them burning raw - I see them burning now, ‘Crystal Night is coming’ - Crystal light is coming."
C9 Entertainment also addressed the issue regarding the lyricists and composers who created the track and stated that they used different English lyrics for the demo song, and that it has nothing to do with the content that is present in the final version of the song's lyrics. The final lyrics of the track were written entirely in accordance with the opinion of the agency.
“We hope that the misunderstandings about related composers and lyrics will not spread any further."
While the controversy has been going on, fans have stated that C9 Entertainment’s official statement regarding the controversy is a well-rounded declaration and explanation of the concept that it chose to portray to the world.
Fans have also appreciated that the agency chose to address the issue quickly, rather than ignore it and let it fester. For now, matters have been resolved between K-pop enthusiasts and the entertainment agency, with the changes already having been made swiftly.
