There are some really hateful, mean-spirited people out there, regardless of race and nationality. K-pop fandom is not safe from these people, and lately, with the rumors of love between Telisha Shaw and Junsu of JYJ increasing, these hateful people have really started to come out of the woodworks. Their hatefullness is not just spurned from jealousy, but from racism. For too long, Black women have been considered the lowest of the low, the bottom of the barrel, and the least desirable women in the world. Even our own men seem to not want us sometimes. We all know its not true, but it hurts.
So what happens when a beautiful Black woman comes along, and steals the heart of a non-Black man who is beloved by many women (of all races) in the world? Of course, there will be jealousy; the typical kind between two women that are fighting over the same man. But the jealousy becomes laced with racism, the kind with the underlying concept of “but wait, she’s Black! You’re not supposed to like her because she’s Black! She’s not as good as me because (insert superficial, physical reason based on color or stereotypes here)! I’m better than her!” That is what happens. This beautiful, attractive, smart and totally worthy Black woman becomes reduced to becoming a receptacle of hateful, racist remarks and death threats. Really??? Are we still living in a world like this? Apparently so.
What I like about Telisha is that she is not about to take this lying down. Instead, she’s come up with her own nifty PR, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with all of you in this post. It is her recently released song “Our Secret”, and you are more than willing to come to your own conclusion as to what and whom she is referring to 😉 Some say she’s trolling, others say she’s on to something. You decide!
Thanks to AJ for the vid tip!
Black Women Love 비 
No matter how I see it, this world is still full of racism and hate… and it saddens me that people who love their idols on TV will not accept whoever their dating… heck I don’t care what race you date or marry just as long as you are happy! But that isn’t all I want to say… if Junsu and Telisha are dating [after listening to this song, I wouldn’t doubt it] if they are dating, then I do hope that they will show people the power of AMBW. For Junsu to be famous and have a AMBW relationship it will definitely be a big statement that YES, Asian Men and Black Women can be together… If they are dating- of course their not going to come right out about it, but at some point I hope they do. It would make me very happy to see another AMBW couple. It would definitely give me hope. 🙂
Ur sooooo right about this: No matter how I see it, this world is still full of racism and hate heres some hope my bf is korean 🙂 sooo dont give up.
i agree..love has no boundaries..even JJ once said that people can be in love regardless of their race, the language that they are speaking in and age or even gender..
all dis hate is just proving that we deserved to be called “groupies” because our actions reflect the stereotype..
the boys are having in hard in KOrea and Japan and this is not the time to chase new fans off..we have to show them that we are civil enough and rational enough to deal with this kinds of matters..
Im now officially embarrassed to say “As A CASSIE” its shameful, and my feeling are just plane hurt. I have only 1 thing to say to all the hater ‘Cassies'(small koff) ARE U OUT OF UR G@D ZAM MINDS. I COULD CUSS EVERYONE OF U OUT TILL KINGDOM COME,4 BEING SO DISRESPECTFUL. >:X -@&:#*!%0
Enough said. Thank u
What can I say that I haven’t already said? However, I will add this…..if you (any non African-American) think you are better than African-American people, then PLEASE tell me at Exactly What Point in time did you become better than African-American people? WHO decided At That Point that you were better than African-American people? Exactly What Criteria was used as the determining factor(s) that would declare you better than African-American people? I believe within all ethnicities there are accomplished, learned, well mannered, wise and attractive individuals, AS WELL AS ill-mannered, unaccomplished, unlearned, unwise and unattractive individuals. These qualities Are NOT Exclusive to ANY one ethnic group. So who’s better? Who decides? Who put you in charge of deciding?
If the two people falling in love with each other (if in fact that is what is happening) have decided they can live with their cultural differences, one to the other one, then who are we (outsiders looking in) to say these individuals can not be together? Why do we (outsiders looking in) feel we Even Have the right to question who can be together?
We ALL bleed blood that is the same hue……..RED. We ALL need the SAME air to breath and the SAME water to drink. There is no special air for Caucasian people or Asian people or African-American people. There is no water Specific To Caucasian people, Asian people or African-American people. If there was, there would be no room on this planet for us to even live……..What…with all the Ethnic Specific air and water there would be no room for people. YEAH, stupid isn’t it? SO is blatant, unadulterated racism…………………………..
Alright! I love that song!
I was just thinking, I wish those rumors were true and about Junsu and Telisha. I’ll be jumping for joy knowing it.As a matter fact ,it would be even nicer if they got married.Yep! Racism is alive and well in 2011,but I’m glad that she’s not letting it in the way of her performing for him. If she did, then they would win and I most certainly wouldn’t want that victoryy to go to them.
Ok, we all probably got a little crazy about our favorite “idol” at one point or another. I did about El Debarge. I remembered girls just going nuts of the mention of Michael Jackson( along with the fanguys wearing his zipper jackets), New Kids on the Block and so on.That was 20 something years ago, fandom was the same back then, the only difference was how far they carried it. Yes, you had a few that claimed that they were “married”to these guys, faint over them, couldn’t speak ill will about them etc, and the occasional death threat but it never got to the point where you were it become literal terrorism.
Were anti-fans of some people, only because we don’t like what they’re singing..or even them,but the race part shouldn’t be a factor into their dislike of them, unless they are racists themselves like some of those fangirls. You don’t have to like Telisha , Junsu or both..but it’s shallow to base their opinions on a woman they don’t even know. I don’t like the way they’re being treated. As a Black woman, I also don’t like the fact that they accuse people of being” tainted” or” nasty” because of it. Yes, I should be upset, pissed and a racist..but I’m not all of the above.
I was brought up in a mostly White community. Some would think that my family and I should have been the target of racists,but thankfully,we weren’t . I also grew up with Asians and a sprinkling of other non-Black minorities again all was good.
I was taught about race by the age of 8, I was taught that we Black that and that one day, I would be victimized by racism,but never let it get me down. Before hand, I had no idea what racism meant. Of course, I just thought that my friends looked different than me,but there were no Black, White ,Asian this and that. As an adult, I ‘m aware of who I’am and where I stand in this crazy would of ours, still when it comes to people, I still judge people as people and not their color.
That is how I also feel about Junsu and Telisha. If the song that she’s singing is about them, I will support their union as I will support any IR relationship. Whether they are K-pop stars or just civilian people, they should be able to love whoever they want regardless of their backgrounds. In this case,no K-pop star should have to hide or not have relationships just to keep them quiet.They have lives and should be entitled to it.I have people in my family in mixed relationships. I’m not worried about their race because it has nothing to with who they are as people.
I’m glad that Telisha came up with this and I hope that there will be others to follow her lead.
@ATLSis,
I grew up in many ways like you. The neighborhood I grew up in was racially diverse, as well as the schools I went to. My parents and grand-parents were professional people. Great-grandmother was an English Literature teacher in a previously all Caucasian school district, pre-1960’s (it was tough for her and the 3 other Black teachers there…..but they prevailed). My parents can count themselves among the first groups of Black students to integrate the University of Texas at Austin back in the day. I’ve always been aware of my history and I’ve always been around different cultures my whole life, but as a Black American child you are never far from racism. You will surely be reminded of your skin color at some point in your life. For me that day happened in junior high school, when I accidentally bumped into a non-Black girl, as we students rushed down the stairs to lunchbreak. This non-Black girl proceeded to call me the “N” word, lucky for her it was too crowded down those stairs for me to “snatch” her hair back (as I tried…..just being honest). But, I’ve always been aware of my Blackness because my parents and grand-parents have always put our history before me and I have felt nothing but ABSOLUTE PRIDE.
Oh and BTW, when me and my little playmates played……Michael Jackson was always my “husband”…..don’t EVEN try it!…..(SMILES)
ATLsis,
forgive me…
El Debarge… lol!
i’m laughing with you girl… with you!
i’ll be back later on this one.
I grew up like you and you sound like you might be about my age. Had I been a young fan-girl I would totally have chosed El Debarge over Michael Jackson, given my penchant for kind of androgenous, pretty boys. My inner fan-girl did not hit until Duran Duran and Adam Ant hit and my love of pretty boys in eyeliner was born.
I’m lucky to be from what I consider a priviledged family. My parents were not rich but we were middle class and comfortable. I got decent grades and was lucky enough to go to magnet schools. Most of the kids at my schools were like me, lucky enough to come from families that had the time and money to sit on us and make us study and do homework. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a family that has the mental and physical energy to devote extra attention to their kids. Some people have to work two and three jobs just to survive and naturally other aspects of their lives start to suffer. Put food on the table and provide shelter for my child or help my child do homework? It’s kind of a no-brainer which one would be the priority if you had to make a choice.
My school was diverse racially, but economically and educationally, not so much. I went to school with all races, but the social classes were a huge issue. Almost all of our parents were college educated professionals who put a huge focus on education. It was strange to be in a situation where we didn’t seem to be judged as much on skin color(I would hear about the local schools from other friends and there was nothing but talks of racial problems and racial hatred) as on what we were wearing and what kind of car we drove or how many pair of Tretorns or Swatches we owned or how perfect and slim you were and how straight your teeth were. In that regard, I was one of the outcast kids. My family was comfortable but I didn’t have a car or a pool. My Mom bought me garage-sale clothes and bought me shoes at the flea market. I didn’t so much feel like I was the object of hatred, but I certainly felt brushed off and alone and more than once I was the target of sneers and laughter. And that was only over clothes and possesions and my weight. I can not imagine what it does to your self-image to be judged on who you are fundamentally, on something you just are and that you have no control over and that you shouldn’t have to have concerns about anyway.
I support Junsu and Telisha, even if they only have a working relationship or friendship. I think the will need all of the positive support that they can get, especially if it is something more. If it is, she has to be one of the luckiest women in the world. Talk about winning the lottery.
not able to listen to what the girls have to say about her trollin’ yet, but at least they are black girls who listen to k-pop saying this. That will make me actually want to listen to what they have to say.
Whether she’s “trolling” or not, it’s still a dang shame the way these k-pop fans are getting irrationally racist towards her! However, IMO, I don’t think she’s “trolling”–it’s what people would rather believe, than to know that she and Junsu are actually involved or an item. People need to get over themselves…love is love, sexual/physical attraction are universal, regardless of color.
People hate because it’s not THEM, suck it up get over it. The world is turning into a melting pot, and I’m all for it. I grow up in the south during segregation, I know what hate is. Lucky for me, I was raised not to hate because of skin color. So if I dont like you, it’s because your mind is too closed to let any truth and knowlege in. Wake up people “your” world is bigger than the city or country you live in.
i can absolutely relate ladies.
i must admit,
i have not had the pleasure
of coming across any of the vitriol associated with these two people.
but anyone can tell by the comments here,
it must be somethin’ else.
on this blog, no one goes off half-cocked
about a subject matter such as this,
which, is no doubt representative of a larger issue at hand.
is this how it’s going to be from this point on?
because for these groups that want to make it here in the west,
and for those of you in korea
and the rest of asia that want to see them succeed,
this is only the beginning,
and this is way too crazy way too soon.
it must be pretty ugly, the stuff being said,
because as I stated previously, i get it.
as a black female, I imagine it’s similar
to the feeling some get
when seeing a good black man give everything he’s got
to a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman,
and thinking he has forgotten about the
black women in his life that helped him get where he is.
you see an attractive, talented asian man
that you have supported through thick and thin
with another who looks nothing like you.
you see it as a blatant rejection of his own kind.
maybe you think he somehow owes you something.
but this isn’t a case of arm candy.
this is about two people who genuinely seem to enjoy each other’s company.
this whole idol business is a well-oiled machine in korea
i believe this relationship among other things is perhaps a result of the
restrictions placed on these idols while under contract
for an extraordinarily long period of time,
and on the unrealistic expectations placed upon them by their fans.
this may only be the beginning.
as princess leia said to governor tarkin,
“the more you tighten your grip,
the more star systems will slip through your fingers,”
make plural “star” and remove “systems”
and you get where I’m going with this.
but yeah, the racist element directed at telisha as a black female,
well that’s just typical, isn’t it; and most unfortunate.
more so because I expected more from a people with such a rich history,
from a people that have experienced equal,
if not greater hardship historically speaking.
as a korean fan-girl hating on telisha,
would the same hatred apply if she were solely chinese or japanese?
i’m just curious, historically speaking,
i mean why just hate on little ‘ole telisha?
what if she were white, white russian say,
now there’s a possibility,
there may be an asian connection to be had somewhere in there;
mexican, persian, south american;
what if alexander, formerly of u-kiss,
dated another of portuguese decent,
would that meet with your approval,
would that even count?
there are mixed asian idol groups,
what if she were from thailand, singapore,
or filipino, or east indian?
what if it were beyoncé…
no more “single ladies,”
would the hatred being spit out her way
be just as vicious?
if it were between beyoncé and lady gaga,
which would be more acceptable?
i would welcome an opposing view here,
if it could only be expressed in a civil and respectful manor.
i would like to know the driving force behind this hatred.
where is it coming from?
how is it being justified?
don’t hate,
let us engage in healthy open-minded,
multi-cultural debate.
look, he met someone,
there’s a mutual attraction,
they’re diggin’ on each other right now.
he’s hot, she’s really cute,
and it just so happens she’s black.
it’s just like that some times.
let us bask in the glory of young love in its prime.
love is a many splendored thing, right…
hate is just plain ugly.
i was at the local bar one night.
i had the good fortune of engaging in delightful conversation
with two very attractive caucasian gentlemen,
nothing i am unaccustomed to,
and they were complete gentlemen and a lot of fun.
they were kind enough to buy me a drink or two,
and an hour or so later, it was time to go.
i received two especially warm goodbyes.
one of those really friendly encounters,
nothing over the top,
that make going out worthwhile.
well, I hear coming from behind me,
“they can’t like her, she’s black?”
not the first time, but this time it was coming from a “friend”
i had known more than twenty years,
who also happened to be white.
twenty years, and she still didn’t get it.
i wasn’t mad at her, not even surprised,
it was not entirely out of character at all.
i had always kept her at arms length,
and that just confirmed why.
her tone was one of disgust; and no, she wasn’t joking,
she was dead serious, and others heard it too.
she forgot herself and showed her true colors.
in all honesty, i just felt sorry for her.
one of my best friends recently told me
this person has expressed to her,
that she doesn’t understand why I never call.
really, do I need someone like that in my life?
yeah, I may be black,
but i’m not coming from a place of misplaced hatred
and jealously most unbecoming
of a someone you would call “friend.”
this is our life ladies,
there will always be haters;
and like telisha,
you cannot allow them
to dictate how you live it.
ATLsis,
i did not mean to offend regarding el.
just the mention of his name (no pun intended)
pulled me back in time.
my little sister loved him,
probably still does!
WOW, great comments…..very thought provoking. I hope someone does answer the “call” and offer their insights.
First, Star Wars ref. for the win.
Love your comment. I’m a 40 year old white woman who grew up in Louisiana. Luckily I am of an age that just barely escaped the all encompassing racial supression before the 60’s and the major unrest of the late 60’s and early 70’s. I started school when it was the norm to talk about equality and celebrating diversity and I think children of my generation are the first to have a chance to escape that strangle hold of being boxed into a stereotype from a young age.
It’s very hard to change feelings and ideas which have been imposed on you, from birth. Some of the stories my grandfather tells me make me cringe in shame. This man is a southern baptist minister, who preaches about love and acceptance and us all being creatures of God. He’ll tell me stories of his youth, things like him and his brothers helping their friends to run all of the minorites out of their small, rural town on Halloween. As a joke. Because it was funny. Right. And it wasn’t strange, it was normal. And no one cared or did anything about it. They were just young boys being rowdy.
I don’t really care if Junsu and Telisha are dating or she’s just trolling. If she’s trolling and it’s pissing everyone off, good for her. They deserve it. It saddens me to see people make something into a racial issue, when in fact, it doesn’t start out that way. They MAKE it that way. You’re right. They’re jealous and they jump on the most obvious attacking point, turning normal, simple jealousy into ugly racist garbage.
I am an executive chef working in a culturally diverse kitchen. The service industry has never run on priviledged kids of any race and that’s a known fact. The service industry runs on the hard work of under paid, hard working people who need a job badly. It’s a physically and mentally demanding industry with long hours and hot, sweaty working conditions. When do ever hear a rich kid say, I think I’m going to be a dishwasher or I want to be a construction worker? You don’t. Or if you do, it’s because they think it will be fun and then they quit after week, whining about how hard it is. I know. I can’t tell you how many high school kids I’ve hired who quit inside a week. The ones who quit do not NEED that job. The ones who need it stay, however, when they stay I almost always end up dealing with a racial issue that did not start out that way and didn’t really need to be that way.
The make-up of my kitchen is maybe 10% white(me included in that figure), 40%Guatemalen and 50%Mexican. I’ve only worked with two black people in my entire careen in the Chicago burbs, which really surprised me. I moved from Shreveport, La which is almost 50/50 white and black right now. I got to the burbs, and seriously, no black people way out here. It weirded me out. Anyway, invariably I’ll hire some young white kid and they’ll be fine at first. Then they start to get some persecution complex where they think they’re doing all the work and I’m harder on them and I only fuss at them and they never do anything wrong and everyone else does the same things and they don’t get in trouble and I’m only picking on them……..blah, blah, blah. “The morning crew never cleans up the line and the evening crew has to clean up behind them.” or “Why do I have to clean the grill when the morning crew used it.” And finally the words will come out of his mouth or I will hear through the grapevine that he’s said something like, “Those lazy Mexicans(meaning the morning crew) never do their work and we(meaning the evening crew)have to do it.”Firstly and most importantly, the morning crew is all Guatemalen and they would beat his face in for calling them Mexican, but that’s a different racial issue for a different time. So many issues, so litle time.Secondly, his precious night crew is mostly Mexican and Guatemalen, as well, and he has no problem with them and doesn’t think that they’re lazy. He just thoughtlessly threw in a race when in reality what he meant was, the morning crew is lazy and the night crew is doing all the work. Them being lazy is them being people. There are lazy people and there are diligent people of all races. I end up firing these guys for being thoughtless assholes.
As a funny aside, and because I’ve been dying to tell JYJ about this story but have no idea how to get it to them, in a way that they would understand the outlandish oddity of the story, aside from trying to tweet it to Shane Yoon or something.
So, I’m driving home from work way out here around McHenry, Illinois. I already mentioned that I almost never see black people out here. I’m almost home and I have the windows down and “Empty” happens to be on the CD player. I pull up to a stop at a light and there is this mixed race couple with a toddler(I assume they were a couple, I know we shouldn’t make assumptions based on how things appear)was walking up the side-walk towards my car. As they passed me, the black guy leaned down a little, looked into my car, gave me a double thumbs up and said, “JYJ!!” in this laugh inducing bro-voice, like he was in the military or something and answering his drill sergeant and then just stood up and kept cruising. The light changed and I was in so much shock that I just started driving, all the while, looking in the rear-view and fighting the urge to turn the car around and and park and running screeching after him to fan-girl with him. I didn’t think that anyone else in McHenry even knew who JYJ was, aside from my room mate and we share a brain anyway.
I doubt that JYJ’s fan demographic in Asia includes many men and that the demographic in the US is almost nil. I started thinking, “well, maybe his girlfriend told him about them and he got into them too,” but she didn’t even glance over or seem interested. I think he was a fanboy all on his own and I’m really curious about he got into them and I want to talk to him and I have no idea how to find him and honestly that seems a little creepy anyway and I don’t want his girlfriend killing me.
Long story short, there is some random black dude in McHenry that loves him some JYJ and isn’t afraid to shout it at women driving past him in cars.
@Plinkin: ha!! Imagine that!
@plinkin–
“Long story short, there is some random black dude in McHenry that loves him some JYJ and isn’t afraid to shout it at women driving past him in cars.”
LOLOL, i LOVE it, LOL!!
@Plinkin: yes, unfortunately the world is so racially-motivated. Its nuts…
SORRY I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING. I am NOT going to talk about RACE but about boy-girl relations in general.
First off, the song is embarrassing ! C’mon ? ADMIT IT. IT IS CRINGEWORTHY ! Regardless of the circumstances. But I proper LAUGHED OUT LOUD when I listened to the lyrics. I just don’t like it because if they were in a relationship it would not be nice to do that just to upset fans or instigate something. She obviously didn’t make the song for herself but for others. It would have been nicer if she ignored the fans and let the supposed relationship grow. SHE BE TROLLIN’ and creating great publicity for herself. (All publicity is good publicity, good or bad).
Out of personal experience making a joke out of something like this would make the boy I was interested in respect me less. Even if he was laughing along too. He may not show it but that’s how it would start. If I were in a relationship I would make sure it was between US not them. Especially if it is not a yet established one. Which is why I highly doubt they are in a relationship and think it’s a publicity stunt. BUT IF THEY ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP I’m going to totally be happy for them. And leave it at that.
As for the racist comments. Since I’m African (without the American) I am not sure if those comments were directed specifically to Americans of Blacks in general. I saw one person write “Black monster” somewhere and LAUGHED so hard. Even though I would not have acted the way She did, I RECOGNIZE she’s hot, she’s very pretty. I never take youtube racism seriously.
IN CONCLUSION we all act differently in circumstances. I really hope for a fun happy conclusion to thins scandal.
In the words of Jeajoong on Twitter: Let’s focus on the performance !
@SueSue: haha….the songwriting is definitely a little weak, but to be honest, I love the drama! lol I need a bag of popcorn. And yes, it does raise the question of if their relationship is legit, but you gotta admit, she probably wouldn’t have done it if some of those Cassies were acting crazy and jealous. And you know how females are with each other when it involves a man they desire. As the world turns!! 🙂
Also: “the more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers,” -Epic quotation ! So very very very very true about the Korean Music Industry !
@Suesue: at one point, these K boys are just gonna go buck wild from being held down so long. Just watch!
i love this blog!
“so many issues, so little time.”
ain’t that the truth…
Got that right!..where to even begin?…………..
plinkin,
that is an awesome jyj story,
and it would be even more awesome if they came across it!
i too would have been tempted to chase his ass down;
however, you were right to refrain.
boab,
sooooo,…
this is why the shower scene was cut from ninja assasin,
and the only copy possibly lost to us forever.
can you imagine?
noamie harris might not have lived to tell about it.
the story about her getting the giggles is awesome.
Whatthefrell,
You know……I hadn’t thought about it from that perspective (about the Ninja Assassin shower scene). I hadn’t thought about it from the point there would be Actual threats of physical harm against her. I did feel his fans would “bristle” about any romance and that was why it was cut out but, until now, never really knew just how Deep seeded this type of race hate goes in Korea. At first glance, it seems hopeless for these celebrities. These Korean entertainers who want to cross over will never be able to do it and give their all to that notion, cause their fans back home will go “ape sh__t”. So what should they do? As far as I can see there’s only one thing to do. If crossing over into Western markets (namely the U.S. market) is a goal for them, then they will have to toss their irons in the fire and simply “block out” the angry remarks and hate speak until they get to where they are trying to go career wise. I’m not saying for them to not be mindful of it, just don’t concentrate on it. It could be “paralyzing” for them moving forward careerwise and it’s SO UNFAIR for their established fans to box them in like that. They will have to FOCUS on precisely where they want their careers to go and their fans back home will just have to get with the program or find somebody else to idolize.
As far as finance goes, they have already made their money and hopefully have made wise decisions regarding it, so all their energies can be put into breaking new ground in their careers. You’ve made your money, so if you come into a new market and things don’t necessarily work out like you plan…..hey you’ve got enough money to “soothe the wounds” and go back to the drawing board. The problem with entertainers is that they get “addicted” to the roar of the crowd and become paralyzed at the thought of not hearing it anymore. They try not to alienate their established fans, while trying to embrace/cultivate new fans in new markets. Well that’s going to be hard to do for traditional Koreans coming into a Western market and in many ways MUCH LESS traditional. Hell, you barely see what was once considered the traditional family unit here anymore. So how does a Korean entertainer, raised in a country steeped in tradition establish a career in countries (for the sake of this argument) that are pretty much non-traditional in free and open markets? How does that Korean entertainer embrace both? At some point that Oh So Traditional entertainer will have to work with people not like him/her, so will their established fans have a collective coronary everytime they see their idol working with a non-Asian? Maybe so, but it will be up to the entertainer to be more vocal about how they Really Feel about how their fans react and do like Tiger JK and call them out on that racist/ignorant foolishness.
i do not know the man personally,
but maybe this is exactly what rain has in mind to do.
he has commented several times
about his desire to come to america,
to focus on making it in hollywood
after serving his time in the military.
he seems to have some sort of
long-term plan that he isn’t quite ready
to share with the world yet,
but as he comments on his plans after the military,
it is almost as if always in the back of his mind
he knows he will be taking a chance
with regard to his fan base in his home country
caution… he seems to be very cautious
when he speaks about his plans for the future.
reference your comments on tradition.
in a perfect world i would think artists such as this
would like the “freedom” to exist in both worlds.
tradition is something to be proud of,
and there is something warm and comforting about tradition,
it is something you can depend on.
it can also be stifling and uncompromising.
i may be stretching it a bit here,
but it’s kinda like the amish and rumspringer (sp?)
i would say i am always surprised by how many young people
decide to return to the church, but not really.
the church, the people, are what they know.
it is unchanging and always there
ready to receive them with open arms.
it is a shame to think
that artists such as rain,
without question the most influential man in the world,
are made to feel as though they must choose
between sacrificing their fan base in the east
in order to establish themselves in the west;
or, remain faithful only to the east,
and be forced into a kind of early retirement.
i think what happened to jay park
is kind of interesting as it may relate to this.
korean-american goes to korea at a fairly young age, maybe 15
becomes a member of what is to be
one of the most successful groups in kpop.
has a difficult time transitioning,
feels as though he is being treated as an outcast,
misses home, and says as much on his facebook page
to his friends at home in the states.
4 or 5 years later, jay park is older and wiser,
and 2pm are at the top of their game,
he being unquestionably at the time, a fan favorite.
some stupid-ass netizen decides to bring back up those
comments made 4 or 5 years ago during what was then,
understandably, a difficult period for him,
at a time when there is no indication whatsoever,
that he still harbors those same feelings.
jyp leaves him hanging out to dry
jay park confused and feeling “abandoned”
goes back home to the states
jyp decides to cut him from 2pm.
jay park, takes a break, stays productive
and not only makes a successful comeback
to a warm and enthusiastic welcome in korea,
but his song is number 1 in the r and b category on i-tunes!
though speculation was great that it could never happen, it did.
However, he apologized to jyp
(maybe tradition had something to do with that,
as i am more inclined to believe it is they who owed him one);
and, there’s no record of him having dated a woman of color.
Perhaps this is a blueprint for how it can be done.
However, with the increasing popularity of kpop here in the states,
thanks in part to media corporations such as MNET,
could that kind of freedom continue to be possible here.
Artists come here all the time to record and do what not,
but media coverage is limited, and focuses mainly
on the concert appearances in los angeles or las vegas.
In jyj’s case, it is concert footage taken by fans that is fueling this fire.
I worry about rain, whom I do not know,
but my gut tells me a relationship with a woman of color
is a very real possibility for him,
if indeed it has not already happened…
as open and honest as he is,
which is some of why we are all so enamored of him,
he is also very guarded.
i would imagine this very subject
weighs very heavy on his mind.
side note:
just as i began writing this seoul fm played “rainism,”
2pm’s “I’ll be back,” a short time later mblaq’s “stay,”
and jyj’s “found you.”
Whatthefrell,
As usual I totally agree with your comments and let me say that in hindsight, I hope I have not offended anyone with respect to being traditional. I TOTALLY get what tradition means and have No Problem with it. Personally, I consider myself traditional, albeit, in the way of my own family and our personal family traditions. Isn’t that so interesting about the Amish youth and how they go experience a secular life and then make the all important decision (should I stay in this “modern” world or go back to the church). Also, thanks for explaining the Jay Park situation. I was just getting to know Bi when I heard of the controversy and never really understood what was going on. But as you say and I agree, tradition is great until it inhibits a person from moving forward and experiencing new things, if they so choose.
As far as Bi and women of color, I will preface this statement by saying I Know Nothing, Have Seen Nothing…..but MY OPINION is Bi would get with a woman of color in a heart beat if, as I believe, his established fan base wouldn’t “burn him in effigy”. I remember reading somewhere, if I’m not mistaken, during early interviews for Ninja Assassin promotions, he was so excited not only for the movie, but to do a love scene with Naomie Harris then all of sudden there was no more talk of it as time went on. Yes, I think Bi is/was Very Willing and you never know he may have already “gone there” on the Very, Very, Very DL. No one will ever know if that has happened in his life, unless he comes to a country/market where he can express those type things more freely. HE embraces our culture in a very Real kinda way (to the extent that he can in his country) and it Feels AUTHENTIC coming from him, very natural…..so I could certainly see him with some caramel cream on the side. It wouldn’t be a stretch. (SMILES)
bialamode,
i did not take offense at all
and i too hope i have not offended anyone
with my continued comments on tradition
i come from a huge family on both sides
of various cultures rich in tradition
of which my immediate family is sadly lacking
as i grew up so far removed from it and them.
i think i was expressing my own longing for tradition,
and can sympathize and empathize with such ties that bind.
i entirely agree with you about bi.
i can totally see him expressing
genuine enthusiasm for the experience,
and “they” shut him down…
that had to have an effect on him.
i bet he has jyj on his radar,
in that they are currently sailing in uncharted territory.
how all this plays out could be quite meaningful.
it already is, eh.
on seoul fm’s twitter feed an exchange caught my eye
regarding superstar k’s recent announcements for auditions.
two girls discussing how they wish they could go to the new york one,
and one of the m was going to the paris one.
it was as follows:
“are they accepting all races?”
“yes, any race.”
“interesting.”
“i know.”
“that rubs my beard.”
“come on now, us koreans aren’t racist.”
“americans can be though.
i know, i lived in new york for 16 years;
and anyway, i’m chinese…”
also, i read mblaq fans recently participated
in a charity function for joonie’s birthday,
which i thought was in february; but anyway…
interestingly enough, they raised money
for an organization involving young children of color.
since i cannot read hangul, i do not know the specifics,
but they had pictures,
and lucky for me i can still see!
makes me appreciate them,
and all their other fans even more.
pretty cool!
Pretty cool indeed!……..Oh and I wish I could tell girlfriend….if them accepting all races as backup dancers “rubs your beard”…….then shave it!
(SMILES)
with that attitude
someone’s bound to tell her
something along those lines in her future.
maybe someone will when she goes to audition – lol!
I don’t think it was appropriate what telisha did, that video and that song was essentially saying ” in your face you pathetic groupies” to Cassiopeia. And that, on many levels is so unacceptable for her to do, there are boundaries that fans adhere to, and even if she’s more than just a fan, it was not a classy thing to do. and she should have more respect for the fandom that junsu holds dear.
However, I think it’s even more abhorrent for the fandom to disrespect telisha based on her race. I think that any other girl that wasn’t Korean, yes still Asian but not Korean would be targeted based on her cultural background. Asians don’t have much contact with people of other cultures if they live in Asia and it’s very easy for them to target telisha because of her race, and really, it’s a lowbrow way to insult someone.
What I really wanted to say is that although telisha was seriously wrong to make that song, Cassiopeia needs to get it together and get past the racist slurs.
Either way, I still ship telisu 🙂
Well, inappropriate or not here’s what some think about fangirls and their rights/boundaries. (*BOAB81, if you feel these videos are inappropriate to post please delete them*). Video #1 this chick is RAW and Video #2 don’t piss of a K-Pop manager.
@BiAlamode: No prob these vids are appropriate to our discussion. Yes, I’ve seen rainonmebi’s vid (i’m subscribed to her already as a matter of fact), and everything she says is TRUE!! Funny she names the Cassies as the nuttiest….hmm coincidence?? Now, as far as Shinee’s manager slapping that girl, can I just say he’d BEST TA BE glad that wasn’t me!! If he slapped me like that, he would no longer have a hand OR an arm to slap anybody else with. I would start seeing red and set if OFF up in there and probably end up in jail later that night for beating the ish outta him. REAL TALK. That is unacceptable, and apparently he feels its ok to do to those fangirls in S. Korea, but I’d like him to try dat ish here in the States!!! UNACCEPTABLE!!!!! Where my girls AT???
awww hell no!
he didn’t just hit her or push her or slap her,
he effing pounded her in the back of the head
and then shoved her repeatedly! wtf!
ohhh noooo…
over here,
that man would not have made it out of the building.
my friends would have been on him like white on rice
i swear no pun intended!
while i would be still trying to figure out
what the hell just happened,
that man would be on the floor
gettin’ the shit beat out of him.
wtf!
then, his ass would be in jail,
no, the hospital first, then jail,
then i would be suing the shit out of him and sm entertainment!
unbelievable!
taemin looks really mortified,
key, looks a bit mortified himself,
minho, seems to have just missed it,
and the other two look like they’re used to it.
now, were i in shinee, indeed, i would want to be protected,
but that was uncalled for.
why is that man still standing?
what i would also like to know,
is if shinee said anything to him about it at anytime;
and if not, why…
what the hell is in “the contract”
that would make that acceptable behaviour?
your girl’s right here boab,
i got your back!
that shit is crazy.
that girl is just a kid,
and absolutely no one came to her aid — no one.
no one stuck out a hand and said… “enough.”
being that some kpop fans are a little on the crazy side,
it makes me wonder if that girl is still even alive.
can you imagine how devastated she must have been?
done.
and to think i was going to comment
without watching it first.
i had no idea.
he pounded the kid.
i must say,
pk on bpm
said that in korea,
adults are often seen “disciplining” kids/children;
that no one does anything,
and the act is often met with cries of approval.
now i’m down with “it takes a village,”
but for real,
shouldn’t you at least be committing
an actual act of wrong doing
before getting pounded in the back of the head.
and should a grown man
be picking on someone his own damn size?
she was just a tiny little thing,
probably in a state of shock
that she was standing so close to her idol.
where’s that child’s father…
i shouldn’t have watched that,
i’m really pissed.
i’m acting like a crazed fan,
i think i must go….
@whatthefrell,
I didn’t mean to upset you I was just as shocked and agree with you both. NO WAY IN HELL it would happen in the States without consequences and repercussions!! SHO’ NUFF!! I went in search of a particular video I saw regarding the intensity of these “stalkerazzi” fangirls, since the post before mine mentioned appropriateness and respecting boundaries amidst the world of K-Pop fandom. These two particular videos made me go WOAH! Rainonmebi, tells it like it “T-I is” and I loved her candor. The other video shocked the sh__t out of me……for real. K-Poppers who want to cross over to this market……Right Here, you better SERIOUSLY SCHOOL your management because it AIN’T HAPPENING over “HN’ERE!” Oh But No………………………………………..
A great lengthy interview, will help everybody out with this question about Junsu.
Go to:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwBLiTMHDV0
This is actually in part 3 of the interview. She is clearly asked and honestly answers…..
Wow…i’m late…lol I’m not a Kpop fan so that’s maybe why I never knew about this “rumor”. Sounds interesting, really interesting 🙂
I wonder if people are still talking about it now….in 2012.
@Myra: hello and welcome! I’m sure this is still being talked about somewhere as its pretty juicy! 🙂