Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
So apparently, about a week ago on KBS‘s “Moonlight Prince“, one of the panel members, Tak Jae Hoon, flippantly made a Kunta Kinte reference while talking about being strung up as punishment on the show (as seen above).
For those who have no idea why this could be misconstrued, this is the reference:
Note: The music is either trolling or to avoid copyright. :o
So anyway, obviously the reference invokes slavery and related serious subject matter, hence international netizens taking it to heart.
As far as the intent (which is always the important part, IMO), to be fair, Kunta Kinte is a well-known character and it wouldn’t be the first time that specific scene was used for comedic reasons.
So it can be used for comedy, directly mocked even, though the difference is that those two examples are done by black people, and that makes it far easier to read intent. The objection to the Korean show using it for comedy is that it was seen by some as exploiting black tragedy and could be interpreted as mocking black people.
As we know by now, mocking black people on television has happened before in Korea in recent memory, and on KBS no less, which is why I think this is being looked at as a racist act, whereas if KBS or Korea had not previously shown little care about overt racism, I doubt people would have taken it the way they have.
Now obviously I’m not qualified to tell people whether they should be offended or not, but I do think it was more of a reference to an iconic scene that happened to relate to the situation on the show and was far less malicious than most seem to think. Everybody has a line between what’s comedy and what’s offensive, but for me, my snap reaction to it wasn’t to scream racism.
—–
If you were offended, take solace in the fact that the show was cancelled, Kang Ho Dong‘s career seems fucked, and nobody has ever cared about Tak Jae Hoon.
He should’ve said “it’s not like we’re JAV stars”.
I knew this would be on the comment section somewhere
People of all races and ethnicity can mock themselves whereas others can’t, it’s not just with blacks and slavery. And yet, some people can’t seem to understand that they shouldn’t mock other races using the “well if so-and-so did it then so can I” excuse. As you made mention to, intent is the one of the mnost important aspect in the context of these gags and having Koreans mock a sensitive subject in which they have had no part in being demeaned or subjected to gives an icky feeling for those who do feel the impact when races mock each other. Being made fun of from a member of a racial class is not fun at all, trust me on this.
Not only intent but context is important also and if I watch the scene from the show without knowing it’s context then I could misconstrue it in anyway I see it. For instance, if anyone remembers the Brian Joo incident where a lot of people lost their shit when they thought he was doing an impersonation of a black person in front of Korean guests and audience. What made it bad was not that he did the impersonation at all but was that he did it in front of people who mostly likely didn’t know better as they didn’t grow up with Brian in the States. Although Brian’s intent was probably purely for entertainment purposes only, it was taken completely out of context anyone could have attributed his actions as representative to anyone.
Back to the Moonlight Prince thing, although I wouldn’t call it racism as it isn’t, it is however incredibly insensitive for the reasons I mentioned above. I hope people can think about it in matter of context and intent rather than making judgements based on their own emotions.
As an aside, KBS especially should be a lot more careful as their channels are more widely broadcasted around the world than others.
This was really well said. I appreciate your insight into the matter, and agree that if Korean media want to make their way into non-Asian markets, they need to start thinking about the way racial jokes and humor are seen in other countries.
I disagree with you on the basis that you think it’s ok to have a double standard. As a great and wonderful man said, “offense is taken not given” You have to be shitting yourself if this is “incredibly insensitive.” Slavery’s been over for some time, can’t complain about this kind of stuff unless you were whipped yourself. Generational poverty, black face, etc. they’re more recent so yes, more leeway there. But get over yourself if you think this is “incredibly insensitive”
Reading over what I just wrote, I sound really abrasive and dickish. Apologies for that, but I believe that your idea, while more muted than other more extreme ones, only perpetuates racial tensions.
Just because slavery is a thing of the past doesn’t mean someone’s allowed to mock it. Is it okay to mock the holocaust or Japanese colonization of Korea because its in past. And what about all those holidays dedicated to honoring the past like independence day should we all stop celebrating it cuz some of us weren’t alive when the US declared independence from Britain? Mocking Slavery is insensitive to black history.
Also if someone find’s something offensive and you don’t what makes you think that your a better judge of what’s offensive and what’s not? Frankly, everyone reacts differently to issues depending on how personal it is to them. If you don’t care, that’s cool, but I don’t get the need that some people have to put other people into their positions or into silence because they feel differently? Just because you think something is insignificant….doesn’t mean it is to many other people and this can go both ways. Like if I am offended or annoyed about something…I am going to say so, Deal. And If someone else is offended and I’m not..I’ll leave it to them cuz its not my place to tell them otherwise. Unless they are being completely irrational, like when people thought youtube was racist against Psy.
With that being said I’m not offended by the show. I’m mostly just replying on why its seen as insensitive. You don’t need to have been “whipped yourself” to see why that is.
The problem is that I was referring more to this specific event. It’s one thing to belittle or mock an event or evil institution such as slavery, but another to just play off a joke using it. Sure, mocking it is insensitive, hooray, boo, whoopy doo da.
The problem I had with aeis is the casual acceptance of the double standard that goes on. Why can one race use itself as a butt of a joke but another can’t? This exclusion or inclusion as a basis of an argument as to why something is or isn’t offensive bothers me.
“Slavery’s been over for some time, can’t complain about this kind of stuff unless you were whipped yourself.”
Wooooowwwwwwwwww…. >.<
Alright, the way I said it seems a bit bad. But the point is that people shouldn’t take unnecessary offense over events that occurred ages ago. It’s one thing to be all offended when some guy goes on a rant on how slavery is a good thing, etc. etc. But to get angry over a joke is over the top, especially when one has little standing to get offended in the first place.
I bet you were one of the popular kids in High School because of your prettiness. I was a jock/nerd but I didn’t play the “popular” sports…I did Baseball (Right Field), Track (4×4 1600), Cross Country, Tennis and Soccer (Right Midfield)
Uhhhh,
was that directed towards me? hahaha
@ThatsNotSoRaven:
Yes ma’am it was
You’re a nut, I swear…
@NotSoRaven:
So you weren’t a hottie with a body or cutie with a booty in high school?
My aunts and uncles still tell us how their friends and neighbors got hung and the racism they went through when they were the only blacks in an all white school during integration
” Slavery’s been over for some time, can’t complain about this kind of stuff unless you were whipped yourself.”
From your comments I can see that you don’t really understand what slavery did. It is more than just whippings and picking cotton. People were taken from their continent, shackled and thrown onto ships and then sold. They were not viewed as human but as things, things that can make money and thrown away when they couldnt make money anymore.
We’re dealing with four centuries of not just physical slavery, but mental slavery as well.
Now you want Black people to get over slavery because their ancestors, not them, got whipped,lynched, degraded,made to fee like they were sub-human.
“Why can one race use itself as a butt of a joke but another can’t? ”
Did you really think this through before you wrote it?
“but I believe that your idea, while more muted than other more extreme ones, only perpetuates racial tensions.”
Oh lord! you’re one of those who think speaking out against racism is the reason why racism still exists.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw2l1qgSzF1r7h0m3o1_400.gif
I realize what slavery did. However, I believe there is an unhealthy obsession or self-pity arising from it that obstruct progress. Call me racist, but it doesn’t change the fact that black culture today, in general, uses it to exclude or include. This stems more from the frustration arising from generational poverty and other factors, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s detrimental to the reconciliation between groups. There’s a Boston Legal episode describing the usage of the word “nigga/nigger.” While not specifically tailored to this situation, I think it describes the entire “one race can but another can’t” situation well. It has a more ambiguous ending, but what I took from it is that you can’t fix racism by substituting it with less “racist” ideas.
It’s one matter to comment on something with extreme poor taste and disregard for the amount of pain it may drudge up, but slavery has been over for an entire century. We may see the effects of it day to day but to take offense over a simple joke over it and justify it with the usage of excluding certain groups only creates more tension.
And… if that’s how you want to think of me go ahead.
I dont need to call you a racist because your comments have proven it.
No one needs to call you that. Your comment already screams and shows it. They say action speaks louder than words. In your comment you tell us to get over it and that it was a simple joke. To you it might be but to those of us whose generations were affected by slavery don’t find it amusing like the way you do. Just an example of what your comment is implying: If some person on TV jokes about human trafficking, children trafficking, rape or pedophilia. You are going to say get over it “it’s not like you’ve gotten raped or trafficked before”. You thinking this is just a silly joke is quite sad. You make yourself no different from the person that made the ignorant statement. Please ignorance is not an excuse: that card has been played several times to justify wrong doings.
Tacking on to what everybody else has said, and I’m not sure if you’re Asian or not, but you realize slavery goes beyond America, right? As in, Asians have been slaves as well.
So I don’t think you’re doing what you think you’re doing in trying to downplay it.
I know that. Basically everyone used slaves. Yeah, I’m probably failing miserably in doing what I’m trying to do.
Context like Brian Joo imitating his friend who was there on set with him?
:o
Maybe it was dumb, but people painting him as a racist were equal to the task.
I’ve never really payed attention to the clip, but I heard that it had something to do with the dream girls clip being showed when he was doing it and because the people around him were associating his behavior with black women that upset people.
Of course. The problem is the effect it has on normal Koreans in terms of perpetuating stereotypes, but my point is that people going around calling him a racist was ridiculous.
If I was an idol/celeb there’s no chance I would even risk doing shit like this (for comedy) due to the exact reaction it’s getting now.
That said, I don’t think Brian and Yuri and this dude are racists.
I am just surprised that those people seem to know the movie Roots. This doesn’t quite fit to the argument i-netizens always use when a discussion like this pops up, which is that people starring on those shows or tv stations themselves wouldn’t know any better because Korea has such a homogeneous society that most people only know about black culture from Hollywood or music videos.
Also I don’t believe that only the comedian understood the reference because any PD would probably cut out jokes he thinks most viewers wouldn’t get.
Might not be racist, but I agree with aeis (only this once!) that it is highly insensitive.
I wouldn’t say it’s racist, however I agree with aeis it IS insensitive. Considering the nation/variety show’s history of blackface, ignorant or not it’s highly inappropriate to use slavery and Roots as a punchline for a joke.
It’s hard to hold that one guy responsible for what his countrymen do though.
I sure as fuck am not going to be held responsible for what idiot Americans do. Or what Michelle Malkin does.
No, I don’t expect one guy to be the Atlas of his country’s bigotry.
What I do expect is that after multiple cases of blackface, insensitivity, and downright racism/colorism (and the backlash they’ve received thus far) that a little more tact would be taken on these kind of shows. Especially now they’re reaching an international audience.
It’s called consideration.
Of course, that’s why I mentioned that it’s harder to give them a pass.
Good Riddance
I rag on Blacks all the time(on and offline)…seriously. I’m itching to say something about them right now but IATFB told me to chill on the serious topics
And you’re actually complying? That’s new :)
Well, it does get a bit annoying that almost every article you comment on seem to have something to do with Blacks. It’s like the opposite of that black person who makes out EVERYTHING bad that happens to them as “it’s because I’m black, huh!?!” to like every situation… It’s like…. ok, get over yourself, whether they’re joking with it or not.
Hmm you’ll think that I wasn’t into myself
I wouldn’t say it’s racist but a bit insensitive or unnecessary. Also, should I feel bad that I found the Chapelle skit hilarious? All his skits were terribly racist and hilarious but I feel like he knows better. Korea just makes me nervous because when they do things imitating or referring to black ppl I don’t know if they really believe that that is how all black ppl are since there aren’t many black ppl there that aren’t soldiers or teachers…
Well Chapelle stuff is satire…. that’s his intent, which makes it the most important thing when making racial jokes. With Korea well…. we dunno since they kinda displayed a handful of times their ‘jokes’ seeming like it could be them believing the stereotypes.
It’s never wrong to find Chappelle’s Show hilarious.
:o
That’s what SM does to their trainees
“You’re name is Victoria, I want to hear you say it”
I’m not sure if this is offensive or a striking modern analogy considering Korean views of Chinese people.
:o
::::.::..::.:::::.:
SIMPLY PROFOUND
for some reason that sounded dirty
Didn’t watch it (semi-don’t care) but yeah.. I agree if it wasn’t done by KBS who just seem to keep effin up, then it wouldn’t be seen as bad. I’m not gonna attempt to go on AKP. I realized I haven’t been on that site in AGES just to laugh at comments! Am I the only one more astound that they know of Kunta Kinte!?!?! (and sad to think many people in the US alone haven’t watched Roots or know what it is ;_;)
I like Family Guy’s reference. “Honey you keep that up, it’s whatever you want it to be~”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmn8Hflhhs
I’m primarily shocked (and impressed!) that South Koreans have seen ‘Roots’ when I know plenty of Americans that haven’t seen it. After that, I’m shocked (and not impressed) that anyone would drop a casual reference to ‘Roots’ like “remember that time that guy got horribly whipped? Lol jk this is nothing like that.”
Most people only watched for Changmin, but still a little sad to hear it cancelled.
You could see Hodong going downhill near the end of 1n2d. Was there a reason though?
He’s a comedian that you can only take in small doses. Yelling a lot is amusing for a while, but see it enough and it becomes annoying.
meh, people should just grow ticker skin
have you people even SEEN roots?? “grow thicker skin”??? my god…
i was also surprised to see that a joke like this was made seeing as though im one of the few people i know that can really understand references from roots.
Yes.