Entries in the 'controversies' Category

Global Talk Show not quite as global as it thinks

Interesting. Another Misuda panelist in the harsh glare of the media spotlight.

I don’t really follow Misuda (Chatting with Beautiful Women, aka Global Talk Show), for various reasons which I’ve mentioned before. But it’s a pretty popular talk show, and has managed to springboard its foreigners-in-Korea panelists to visibility, some even to acting roles or singing (with varying degrees of success). It’s a non-threatening way for Korea to indulge its fascination with things Western and foreign from within the safe confines of talking about something comfortable — itself.

Some former Misuda participants who’ve moved on to bigger entertainment careers include Haiyen (Vietnam, acting), Eva (Britain, acting), and Jamilya (Uzbekistan, singing — although I use the term “singing” lightly).

All week long, Chinese participant Cai Lina has been in the news and generally lambasted because of the discovery that she actually does have Korean parentage. What’s the big fuss?, you might ask. Given that she’s built up her image through Misuda, and that Misuda is explicitly a show for non-Korean residents of Korea, people are finding her so-called “hidden” Korean background to be disingenuous. Particularly since she’s passed herself off as a Chinese student with an interest in Korean culture.

The netizen response (are we surprised?) has been typically severe. Cai Lina has defended herself saying she’d never concealed her Korean parentage (just not gone out of her way to make it known, perhaps). But people are saying some pretty harsh things, particularly on her own mini-homepage. The backlash almost reminds me of the recent spate of “memoirs” that have been outed as fake (Peggy Seltzer, James Frey), although to a lesser degree; the public feels as though they’ve been cheated, having been sold one thing and receiving another.

The head PD of the program is defending its panelist, saying it will take legal measures to counter some of the more serious and malicious statements being leveled against her, and possibly even request the cyber investigation department’s involvement. A source says, “If you take a look, a few people are continually changing their IDs to post negative comments,” and suggested taking a hard line in dealing with the matter. (And I say: Dude, this is the internet. Like that’s new?)

As of now, there are no plans to remove Cai Lina from the Misuda lineup. She explained that she doesn’t see the big deal, especially since she’s been raised in a Chinese environment and schooled in the Chinese education system, and therefore feels more affinity with her identity as Chinese. She does have a point, but come on, would a (full-blooded) Korean born in America be accepted on Misuda and praised for her interest in Korean culture despite her American identity? (I can tell you, that’s an emphatic no.)

Personally, I think there’s a grey area where Misuda is concerned, because of the nature of the program. If she were an actress or singer, the internet blowup would be an overreaction, because her background shouldn’t affect the quality of her work. But Misuda trades on the novelty of its kitschy-cute-foreigners angle, and when its raison d’etre is undermined, it’s got a very weak leg to stand on, methinks. But then again, I think it’s a silly show to begin with.

Via Hankyung

SONG OF THE DAY

Wax - “그 흔한 김씨” (That common Mr. Kim) [ Download ]

RELATED POSTS


Tags: , ,

More troubles for Ivy

Okay, I’ve gotta say this ticks me off on so many levels.

Singer Ivy is being sued by the cosmetics company she was hired as brand model for, under the accusation that her scandal last year did the company considerable damage. Her “inappropriate personal life events” degraded the company’s public image and value, allegedly, and they have filed a lawsuit against her management company, Fantom Entertainment, demanding recompense of $500,000 (500 million won).

A rep from company Able C&C (which owns Missha and Beautynet) said, “In cosmetics advertising, a brand model has a very strong influence on the image, as well as a tremendous effect on sales.” And now they lay the blame for a decline in business on the fact that Ivy was blackmailed and threatened and accused of being anything from a liar to a slut and had her name publicly dragged through the mud by salacious gossipmongers, netizens, and the general public. Way to blame the victim, huh, society?

The rep also censured Ivy, saying that because she acted in a way “damaging their honor” and “damaging the value of the product through acting in a way that stirred public criticism,” she had violated her contract with them, and no longer has any “advertising power.” Really? Since when does being the victim of blackmail count as breach of contract?

You know, frankly I don’t care if Ivy has a sex tape — which, by the way, has never been produced. Her ex-boyfriend, who’d blackmailed her last November with what he claimed was private video footage, giving rise to sex-tape rumors, was tried on criminal charges and convicted. What pisses me off is the gleeful rush to cast stones and label her some kind of whore because her violent ex-boyfriend may or may not have a private video of her, which he used against her illegally and for which he was punished.

Uh, WHO’S in the wrong here, again? Who’s the victim? Why is Ivy all of a sudden the defendant in a situation where she was so clearly the target? Where SHE was the one most hurt?

I don’t even count myself as an Ivy fan — her music is very hit or miss with me — but all this Ivy backlash is beyond irritating. It’s ignorant and narrow-minded. Well, fuck you Able C&C and Missha cosmetics. I wish I used your products so I could now STOP.

Via Mk.co.kr

SONG OF THE DAY

Ivy - “난…” (I…) [ zShare download ]

RELATED POSTS:


Tags: , , , , , , ,

Maybe not such a great idea


(Emcee and actress Hyun Young with Canadian panel participant Julien Kang)

 
With the success of the talk/variety show Chatting with Beautiful Women, which I briefly mentioned here, producers were quick to jump on the money train and slap together a male counterpart for a Chuseok special program called (what else?) Chatting with Beautiful Men. But it seems they just produced a show that has attracted more criticism than praise…

 
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

Verbal Jint - “Make-up Sex” (Feat. Kjun) [ zShare download ]

 

So what’s the big deal? >>


Tags: , ,