As a young Korean girl, K-pop ‘idols’–as the performers are called in Korea–were my first role models. I would sit in front of the TV, watching as flashing lights, synchronized dancing, and flawless facades filled my eyes. K-pop introduced me to music and dancing, ultimately making up not only my childhood but also the person I am today. To a 6-year-old, that universe appeared to be the epitome of perfection. At one point, I even dreamed of becoming part of that world.
Imagine waking up one day to a world where heroes had suddenly become criminals; engaging in sexual abuse, tax evasion, and illegal drugs. This was exactly what happened earlier this summer, when the agency YG Entertainment–one of the ‘Big Three’ entertainment labels in Korea and home of leading K-pop groups such as Big Bang, Blackpink, and iKON–fell apart amid police investigations and allegations of serious criminal offenses. My childhood utopia crumbled to dust. Some fans felt betrayed, while others went as far as to defend the offenders, begging for sympathy from the public and disregarding the evidence that is so blatant.
The series of controversies began with the scandals surrounding the ‘Burning Sun Club’, a nightclub owned by a past member of famous boy band Big Bang, Seungri. It was reported that the club had engaged in illegal activities such as the adulteration of drugs, rape, and soliciting prostitutes for businessmen.
Although there had been similar issues that had been raised in the past, especially to do with the use of illegal drugs and driving while intoxicated, they had not matched the severity and media attention that this string of scandals had attracted. Because so many issues had arisen one after another involving many recognizable names, the company saw massive damage financially and in their reputation. These events caused the company’s shares to lose its value by 42% in June this year.
Truth be told, the corruption and crime was not the most astonishing aspect of the scandal for most Koreans–the ugliness of the industry had always been a clear, yet unspoken truth. Instead, it is the shock of how little is known about the people we claim to ‘love’, and yet, how readily fans jump to shield them. Though it is true that the Korean entertainment industry is relatively more under wraps than that of other countries and K-Pop fans are known to be very devoted, this pattern can also be seen being repeated in the controversies of Western stars. The most famous example would be the controversies surrounding the numerous child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson since 1995, which eventually led to his trial in 2005. Although the allegations were very serious and the case went to court, many of his fans still stayed by his side until the end. This illustrates the extent of the love fans develop for their stars, which is not unique to the Korean entertainment industry.
When people say, “We should have known!”, I ask, “Well, how?” Frankly, celebrities are complete strangers; characters that live in our screens and imagination. What little we see is merely the tip of the iceberg, and even that is shrouded by thick fog.
In times like these, we must withdraw from the emotions of unrequited love and not allow them to cloud our morality. The moment their crimes are revealed, even celebrities should be equally at the mercy of the law.
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