LNGSHOT (pronounced “long shot”) is an upcoming K-pop boy group that’s getting a lot of attention, and not all of it has been positive. They’re a four-member group under Jay Park’s label MORE VISION. They’re his first idol group, with a heavy focus on hip hop and R&B.
LNGSHOT will officially debut on January 13, 2026 with their EP “SHOT CALLERS.” They have already released a pre-debut mixtape and performed on major stages like the 2025 MelOn Music Awards.
From the start, LNGSHOT has been polarizing. Some fans are excited by their rawness. Others feel uneasy about their image and what their concept represents.
The middle finger controversy
The group’s first controversy came from a set of photos showing the members posing with raised middle fingers alongside Jay Park. It was clearly meant to signal a defiant attitude.
For many fans (especially international ones) it wasn’t received well.
K-pop idols are expected to be polite, humble, easy to market. Seeing a group of teenage boys giving the camera the finger made some people uneasy. Others felt it was trying too hard to be shocking.
Hip-hop influenced or cultural appropriation?
LNGSHOT’s image leans hard into hip hop aesthetics. Baggy jeans, loose shirts, bandanas, braids or cornrows, grills on their teeth, chains hanging from their necks.
Their sound follows the same direction. Their pre-release single “Saucin” draws from Memphis-style hip hop with a declaration to stand out and make a name for themselves.
That combination has led to accusations of cultural appropriation.
Most of it is due to K-pop’s long history of borrowing from Black American culture without proper respect or context. Black people are often judged or punished for how they style their hair or speak in certain ways. Meanwhile non-Black artists are praised for the same choices.
LNGSHOT’s concept isn’t the problem
I personally don’t find LNGSHOT’s concept to be offensive. Nothing about their music or their choice in outfits is as harmful as painting your face black and mocking black people by acting out outdated stereotypes.
I view LNGSHOT’s concept as a visual nod to how hip-hop was used to rebel against the things that held you back. To be resilient, to do your own thing.
Let’s be honest: a truly racist person won’t care about the texture of the person’s hair if they are wearing braids. Racist people care about the color of someone’s skin. Period. What is not talked about is the discrimination Asian people experience racism no matter what they do.
Is gatekeeping really the answer?
I understand that for many, Black people face a level of discrimination that a non-Black person doesn’t have to deal with. I also believe that discussions about cultural appropriation have lost a sense of nuance.
Hip-hop has always had a global appeal. It resonates with people who feel controlled or boxed in by systems that oppress them.
Yes, being an idol isn’t the same as being Black. Those experiences are not interchangeable, but the idol industry is exploitive.
Strict diets, not getting paid. Hidden cameras where your agency can monitor what you’re doing at times. No rest days even when you’re sick and recovering from surgery. (I’m talking about surgery to repair damage to your lungs or having your wisdom teeth pulled).
Gatekeeping an entire culture that resonates with people from different corners of the world isn’t the right answer. It won’t automatically fix the power imbalances that fuels racism.
What LNGSHOT could represent going forward
I don’t know how much impact LNGSHOT will have on the industry once they debut.
If their success encourages agencies to give idols some freedom. To move away from restrictive standards around how idols should look, sound, or behave, that would be great. Even small changes can make a difference.
LNGSHOT isn’t perfect. The way they’re marketed can be a little cringe at times (like the middle finger photo) but it seems to be part of their charm.
