A video clip has surfaced online.
Koreaboo
Just now
BIGBANG member Taeyang has found himself amid a heated controversy on social media over alleged racism.
Taeyang | @__youngbae__/Instagram
Recently, a video clip surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) in which the singer can be seen using a filter to make his face look like Kanye West’s, and supposedly trying to emulate his way of talking, wishing fans a “Happy monkey new year.”
تايونغ عضو بيق بانق يظهر بفيديو وفلتر كاني ويست و يقول happy monkey new year واعتبرها المعجبين عنصرية صريحة pic.twitter.com/aSu2wKd317
— 🇰🇷Kwave (@thekwavee) August 29, 2026
This clip is originally from 2016, and the greeting was a reference to 2016 being the Year of the Monkey, as per the Chinese zodiac system.
When this video clip first surfaced, Taeyang faced major flak from international fans, and now that it has resurfaced a decade later, the reactions remain unchanged.
yea i’m sorry this group is full right winged incels idc https://t.co/moCKmQliX1
— ★AHHK!RA⁷∞ (@J00NM3TAL) August 30, 2026
What the fuvk???? Fuvkass is a flop and a racist like pick a struggle https://t.co/cgYFnY0PPM
— into the sun enthusiast ⋆˚𖥔 ݁ (@lybtsv) August 31, 2026
it’s genuinely insane how kpop stan’s will let idols get away with anything if they’re not bts a hybe idol or a woman https://t.co/tzU1pwYf7R
— king ⁷ ⁹ ⁵ ⁵ (@mnibangtanie) August 30, 2026
However, fans have pointed out that Taeyang deleted the video immediately after being called out and posted a formal apology admitting his mistake. They emphasized that while holding idols accountable was necessary, bringing up a controversy from a decade ago, when the artist apologized and didn’t repeat the behavior, was a questionable move.
The difference is that taeyang apologise even during that time and he never did it again. Meanwhile your opps hide and did nothing. Yet you are here posting a video a decade ago as a gotcha for the things your oppa did in the big year of 2026. Lowlife thugs army never learn https://t.co/j2uBT1icSa pic.twitter.com/gqt4wgcd3b
— Jacqueline Sailo (@JackieSailo) August 31, 2026
Youngbae deleted the post and said sorry
he didn’t try to play the victim, he said sorry and understand that he was wrong and hold his accountability https://t.co/kY6IY0jrq3 pic.twitter.com/0xz7Yq7Ige
— jub⁴ 🚦 Gtop’s CEO (@iwantyoutostayt) August 30, 2026
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