An Australian influencer has faced online backlash, with some accusing her of “cultural appropriation” due to her choice of music and clothing during her holiday in Japan.
Sophia Begg, known as Sopha Dopha, boasts over 1.4 million followers and posted a series of photos on Instagram from her first day in Tokyo.
The 21-year-old paired her “photo dump” with the Mandarin song “Blueprint Supreme” by Chinese rapper Skai Isyourgod.
“Day 1: Tokyo,” she captioned the post, which features images of friends enjoying ramen, sipping matcha, shopping, and posing next to vending machines on the train.
Some of her followers quickly took note of her music choice.
One user remarked, “I’m a girl who loves you, but the song isn’t even in Japanese,” earning over 100 likes for the comment. Another added, “I’m afraid that this song will be in Chinese.”
Additionally, several users criticized her for wearing a t-shirt featuring the Japanese word “suki,” suggesting she was using culture as mere decoration.
One commenter, an Asian woman, voiced her discomfort with Begg’s choice of attire.
Yet, some users defended her, stating her shirt “looks nice” and that she appreciates culture.
Another added, “I’m very suspicious that she did it with malicious intentions.” Meanwhile, some questioned why people can’t appreciate different cultures aesthetically.
Communication strategist Kriti Gupta, who is from South Asia, suggested that the issue lies in how a culture is represented visually. “Culture is not a choice,” she stated.
Gupta emphasized that even if the choices seem misguided, influencers should think carefully about their content before sharing, as the impact can outweigh intent.
As of now, Begg has not publicly addressed the criticism.
