Choreographer Kany Apologizes for Controversial Joke as Viewers Question Explanation

French-Senegalese choreographer Kany Diabaté has apologized after joking that Black people enjoy watermelon, chicken and Fanta in a YouTube video, prompting criticism over the historical use of those foods in racist stereotypes.

While Kany acknowledged the controversy and explained that her remarks reflected her own cultural upbringing, some viewers have questioned her response, raising broader discussions about racial identity, cultural differences and representation in South Korea's entertainment industry.

The controversy began with a Nov. 4 video uploaded to Kany's YouTube channel, featuring a visit to a wholesale fruit market with her husband. During a conversation about fruit preferences, she made a joke associating Black people with watermelon, chicken and Fanta.

The segment also included a Korean subtitle describing the combination as "Black Soul Food," alongside imagery that some viewers criticized for reinforcing racial stereotypes.

The remarks quickly drew criticism from viewers familiar with the history of watermelon and fried chicken being used to mock African Americans. Although both foods are widely enjoyed across different cultures, their association with Black Americans carries a particular historical significance.

According to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, watermelon became a symbol of freedom and economic independence among formerly enslaved African Americans following emancipation in the 19th century. Many Black Americans grew and sold the fruit, but racist imagery subsequently transformed that association into a derogatory stereotype portraying Black people as lazy, childish and uncivilized.

The controversy therefore concerns more than the foods themselves. Critics argue that presenting them as universal preferences among Black people can reproduce associations historically used to ridicule an entire racial group, regardless of the speaker's intention.

Kany addressed the backlash on Nov. 10 through a lengthy statement, apologizing for the hurt caused while explaining the cultural background behind her words.

She acknowledged the painful history of the stereotypes in the United States. However, Kany emphasized that her experiences as a Black woman raised in France with Senegalese roots differ from those of African Americans.

She explained that watermelon is commonly enjoyed in Senegal, chicken features prominently in dishes such as Poulet Yassa, and Fanta is familiar in many African households.

According to Kany, her remarks came from these cultural references rather than a conscious attempt to invoke American racial stereotypes. She also clarified that she had never used the expression "soul food" during filming, stating that it had been added to the subtitles during editing.

Nevertheless, she acknowledged that phrases such as "our favorite" and "everybody" could have sounded like generalizations about all Black people and accepted responsibility for her wording. She also added that the controversial segment has since been removed from the original video.

Despite the apology, some viewers argued that Kany's explanation did not fully address their concerns.

One X user questioned her decision to distinguish African and African-American experiences, saying, "I appreciate the apology and all, but turning this into an American thing when this stereotype affects the entire diaspora was in poor taste."

Others argued that Kany's international experience should have made her more conscious of how such remarks might be interpreted, particularly when discussing racial identity before an audience unfamiliar with the stereotypes' historical background.

The reactions highlight a central disagreement surrounding the controversy: whether cultural differences can explain the intention behind a remark without diminishing its impact on people familiar with its historical associations.

Kany, meanwhile, has pushed back against accusations that she was attempting to gain approval by making jokes about Black people. Throughout her career in South Korea, she has introduced aspects of her background, including traditional dishes and cultural practices. She emphasized that embracing Korean culture has never meant abandoning her own identity.

Kany also revealed that the backlash had extended beyond criticism of her words as she said she had received racist insults, degrading comments about her appearance, hateful private messages and threats, describing the experience as deeply hurtful.

While acknowledging viewers' right to express disappointment and hold her accountable, she urged people to distinguish criticism from personal abuse.

The incident ultimately highlights two issues that can coexist which are the importance of understanding why certain racial stereotypes remain painful and the need to recognize that Black communities across different countries do not share identical cultural experiences.

As Kany faces continued scrutiny, the discussion extends beyond whether her joke was intended to offend, raising questions about how entertainers can navigate cultural differences, acknowledge historical sensitivities and respond to criticism without deepening divisions between the communities involved.