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'Street Woman Fighter': Mnet slammed as it uses Islamic prayer call Adhan as BGM

Mnet remixed and used 'Adhan' or 'Azan' as background music while introducing the host Kang Daniel in 'Street Woman Fighter' trailer

Mnet has been called out several times before for cultural appropriation but looks like they haven’t learned their lesson. Their recent survival show, ‘Street Woman Fighter’, an all-female dance crew competition, has come under fire for using inappropriate music. The very first episode wasn’t available on a lot of platforms which is why its premiere aired smoothly. But last week, when it became available on a lot of free platforms and the audience increased, a Muslim viewer noticed that ‘Adhan’ or ‘Azan’ was being played.

In a preview teaser where we see Kang Daniel, the host, walk amongst the participants, ‘Adhan’ is heard in the background for almost a minute. Not only that, OP (original poster) pointed out that Mnet had remixed the religious prayer and used it for the ‘Street Woman Fighter’ BGM (background music). In Islam, ‘Adhan’ is a holy call for the followers of Islam to pray. OP educated other viewers that ‘Adhan’ also praises the name of Allah and hence using it as intro music is a sign of disrespect.

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Mnet criticized for using 'Adhan'

OP had made this post on September 4 but it wasn’t till September 7 that it gained traction. As more people started spreading it on Twitter and other social media platforms, the hashtag #Mnetapologize started trending. Non-viewers, people of other faith and more Muslim netizens banded together to educate Stan Twitter and pressure Mnet to take responsibility for their actions.

Frustrated Muslim K-pop Twitter also pointed out that while cultural appropriation is immediately spread with the involved party apologizing, it took OP’s post a couple of days to reach a majority of Twitter. They also brought up other instances like where producers had used ‘Adhan’ as the background vocals of CL’s song. She apologized and edited it out, no one spoke about it. Many users also added that while cultural appropriation is still done for clout, Mnet should have had a conscience and not used religion in any circumstance as it is considered heresy.

Chaeyeon's editing

This is not the first time viewers are unhappy with ‘Street Woman Fighter’. Ever since the release of its trailers and first few episodes, fans have been noticing that Mnet is using intentional editing for participant Lee Chaeyeon. She is the only idol participant and her fanbase is huge as evident from the $2.8 million that WIZ*ONEs collected when her group IZ*ONE disbanded. Mnet has consistently been using her on video thumbnails, spinning storylines around her and dramatically editing clips of her crying as other professional dancers are brutally frank about her skills. Viewers and WIZ*ONEs are tired of it as they want the show to focus on her and the other participants’ dance skills and the competition rather than the drama.

'Apologize'

Muslim users have been asking Mnet to apologize with posts like, “Please respect us as Muslims APOLOGIZE,” “MY RELIGION COMES FIRST.MNET SHOULD NOT MIX ENTERTAINMENT AND RELIGION IT'S DISRESPECTFUL AMD RUDE MNET ,YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE MUSIC BACKGROUND AND MAKE APOLOGIZE,” and “As a Muslim, I want mnet to apologize because they used adhan as an intro for street woman fighter. Do you think you can remix and glitch it like a music.” One disappointed but realistic user commented, “What's so bad/hard about leaving our religion alone? this isn't the first time too, we've been disappointed like this before and they might do it again.”

Another user added, “CL has also used Adhan as a background vocals for one of her songs, and people were ready to call her out.But no one is talking about it. No one cares enough to raise awareness.ISLAM IS NOT ABOUT FUN.IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT ASHAMED, JUST APOLOGIES.” One user even posted an audio of ‘Adhan’ to prove that it had been used in the show, “You never want to learn from the past! ah I think this is on purpose. It's impossible that your staff doesn't know that this is something very sacred in Islam? even though minorities. you must appreciate it! i like this show but i hope mnet will be boycotted.” Another pointed out that Mnet can’t get away by editing the prayer and remixing it, “Even u cut the certain part . not only me , we as muslim know the sound of adhan . please apologize and dont put any type of "religion" sound.”