By Honorary Reporter Preeti Rawat from India
Photos = Lee Da-yeon

Climate activist Lee Da-yeon, 21, is the sole Korean to make it to the BBC list released on Nov. 21 of the world's top 100 influential and inspiring women of the year. As a campaign leader with the online platform Kpop4planet, she has played an instrumental role in inspiring global K-pop fans to tackle the climate crisis.

Lee Da-yeon is currently based in Tokyo where she's pursuing her major at a university. Most activities take place in Korea and Indonesia. However, the online platform Kpop4planet welcomes global participation.

Climate activist Lee Da-yeon is one of this year's 100 most influential women of the world as named by the BBC.

In an email interview conducted between Nov. 24 and Dec. 11, Lee said, "I never thought it was only for me. The nomination was for all the Kpop4planet activists and K-pop fans who helped and supported us. So this achievement means that K-pop activism had a huge impact and was recognized by the world."

Based in Japan, Lee is in college studying international studies, English and Japanese. A K-pop fan, she saw the environmental waste caused by entertainment companies and the potential role of K-pop fans in bringing about change. She and Nurul Sarifah, a K-pop fan and climate activist from Indonesia, launched the online platform Kpop4planet in March 2021.

Kpop4planet has eight activists who work with K-pop fans on their concerns and plan campaigns to deliver youth voices to authorities. It also holds ambassadorial projects for K-pop fans who want to create content and promote eco-friendly activities among their friends.

"I plan and organize the campaigns, help create content, reach out to the concerned industries, and deliver the voices and messages of K-pop fans," Lee said. "I also engage with the global fans through social media and act as a spokesperson with media outlets."

Lee's efforts have resulted in major entertainment companies adopting green practices. 

Her first major project was "No K-pop On A Dead Planet" launched in July 2021, urging entertainment companies to tackle the problem of discarded or surplus albums. The photo above demonstrates the 'No K-pop On A Dead Planet' where the activists demand 'green' albums, minimization of plastic packaging, and low-carbon emission concerts. This took place outside HYBE Labels in Seoul in 2022, where the activists wanted to draw the management's attention toward the environmental damage caused by discarded albums. The activists collected these albums and delivered them to the company.

"Many people are familiar with the pictures of albums stacked up in the trash," she said. "Additionally, fans often buy the same album multiple times to get the merchandise inside. Through the campaign, we've asked entertainment companies to solve the problem and join action on climate change." 

"We gathered more than 10,000 petitions from K-pop fans from over 90 countries and collected over 8,000 unused albums from fans in Korea to deliver them to the companies concerned along with fan messages."

Such efforts bore fruit as major Korean entertainment companies like Hybe, SM, JYP and YG joined the movement. 

"The main demand we delivered to the industry was the option of 'green albums,' which allows users to choose the number of albums they want to purchase for a fixed sum," Lee said. "If the companies care about fan voices, they should offer this option permanently."

"Most fans hugely support our campaigns because we address the issue of waste many point out."

The "Hyundai, Drop Coal" campaign seeks to stop the use of the fossil fuel. 

Kpop4planet's "Save the Butter Beach" campaign asks the Korean government to halt the construction of a coal power plant in Samcheok, Gangwon-do Province. The campaign aims to protect the Maengbang Beach in Samcheok, which became famous as the filming location for BTS' song. Meanwhile, the "Hyundai, Drop Coal" movement asks Hyundai Motor to drop a deal with an Indonesian corporation and instead create sustainable vehicles with clean aluminum. 

Lee called K-pop fans an important force for change especially given K-pop's immense popularity, saying, "We're the ones who're changing the world. I want to break these stereotypes and prove that we're a mature fan community."

She also spoke on Nov. 30 at the Future Dialogue for Global Innovation hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul as a presenter along with scholars, officials, global corporations and content creators.

On her inclusion on the BBC list, she said, "I didn't know I was going to be nominated this year. So I was surprised the first time. It's a pleasure and honor to be on the list."

Lee said her plans are to continue campaigning with Kpop4planet, contribute to climate protection to ensure a better world, and get more K-pop fans to show interest and join her cause.
  

jihlee08@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.