Minami

[koganbot]

warthoginrome writes:

I don't know if you had the chance to run into this news, so I wanted to point it out, because the topic is common to the entire asian pop scene.

The story is about Minami Minegishi (20 y.o.), member of the japanese group AKB48. A tabloid published some photographs of her leaving the apartment of her boyfriend, Alan Shirahama (19 y.o.), member of the boy band Generations.

As you may guess, Minami is bound to a "contract" which prohibits any kind of relationships. After the bomb exploded, she decided (spontaneously?) to cut her hair and record a public apology. In the video she apologizes to colleagues, family, and fans, reproaching herself for having been "thoughtless and immature," and specifying that "I don't believe just doing this means I can be forgiven for what I did, but the first thing I thought was that I don't want to quit AKB48." In the meantime, the agency demoted her from the "senior" to the "trainee" rank, for "for causing a nuisance to the fans."

I don't really know why, but as soon as I saw the video, the T-ARA controversy came to my mind, because I find it hard to tolerate the unlimited power of the so called netizens (better, customers). This is really too much. I know that, after all, Minami is more fortunate than many boys and girls of her age living in much tougher conditions around the globe, but I feel bad for her anyway.

Checking this out myself, I see that American news outlets have been all over this story, reporting that the incident has provoked pushback and even outrage in Japan, people calling the treatment of Minami unfair and saying it amounts to bullying (many people assuming she had little choice in the matter of close-cropping her hair).



Some American (I assume) commentators at The Young Turks provided their own perspective, and my crap detector says that they didn't actually research the culture, that they're making guesses as to the attitudes behind the no-dating rule. ("You're no good unless you're virginal, you're no good unless you're pure, you're no good unless I actually have a shot at sleeping with you sometime in the future.") But then, I haven't researched it either. And just because they're guessing doesn't mean they're wrong.

Minami's in a better position than T-ara was as far as garnering sympathy, since the Netizens who were bullying T-ara were portraying T-ara as bullies themselves, which meant that attempts to defend T-ara (and to understand and accept T-ara and their overmatched CEO as humans who get to screw up) could be cast as attempts to defend bullying. On the other hand, T-ara are full-scale stars with a fanbase that's not going to completely abandon them, whereas Minegishi is one replaceable member of a vast enterprise. On the third hand, I know little more than zilch about J-pop and Japan and AKB48, and I don't assume Japan is Korea, and I don't assume there's a homogenous thing called "Japanese attitudes" and "Korean attitudes" anyway, any more than there's a homogenous thing called "American attitudes": there are always arrays of behavior and ongoing tensions and arguments over gender and sex issues (there wouldn't have been an injunction against adultery in Moses' day if people weren't committing adultery (as well as worshiping false gods and failing to honor mommy and daddy)).

Readers who understand K-pop and J-pop more than I do should comment. In the T-ara affair, fans and Netizens didn't hold just one view, and I think in general agencies and performers are far too timid in giving way to what they imagine are fan desires. (Not that all agencies impose such restrictions in the first place.) But also, performers like HyunA, for instance, are able to get energy from the limits that some fans and censors try to impose on them, since part of HyunA'a act is to cross the border into what she's supposedly not allowed to do. I wouldn't imagine it would ruin her image or devastate her fanbase if she were found to have spent the night with a guy. But I don't know. I assume (though I've not researched this) that Brown Eyed Girls are expected to have affairs and dates etc., and are even willing to stoke the rumors that they're sleeping with each other. And one of the Wonder Girls just got married.

By the way, I didn't attend much to G-Dragon's marijuana scandal in 2011, but my impression at the time was that it wasn't that big a deal, nor was it that potentially damaging (his hair follicles tested weakly positive for marijuana, and he explained this away by saying that he imagined it happened 'cause of a time he'd gotten massively drunk and someone offered him a cigarette, which he assumed was tobacco, and he felt he'd have been rude to refuse; this doesn't seem like the most convincing or contrite explanation). If you're going to be a bad boy, you gotta do something bad every now and then.

Something I'm curious about is whether, in Korea and Japan, rock and hip-hop stars (as opposed to pop stars) are expected to hew to limits in the same fashion. By "hew to limits" I don't mean "are subject to the same behavioral injunctions," since I assume they're not (I assume they are allowed to date and that rock and hip-hop guys are supposed to seem sexually active), but rather the idea that you don't want to offend or challenge your fans or appear genuinely arrogant rather than grateful to them for your success. I'd think, in contrast, that you'd lose cred if you seemed too compliant, too full of gratitude. But that's me looking at things from my perspective, here in America.

One thing about Netizen behavior: although it may not be absolutely pure self-expression — you have to have Internet access, you have to have time (both of which require money), and anyway the messages that have money backing them up become the ones sloshing around the culture and are therefore more likely to be the ones that spontaneously come out of people's mouths, even poor people's — it still, as expression goes, is more bottom-up than most. And though minority opinions can be drowned out, they can't simply be shut up. Anyway, I recently read this excerpt from Tom Slee's No One Makes You Shop At Wal-Mart, which is on a different subject — how free consumer choice can sometimes have results that no one wants. I don't make a direct connection in my mind between his thesis, on the one hand, and, on the other, the combination of paparazzi and fan selfishness that afflicts Minami. But when something seems not to be working, it's good to think why, and what could be done. Can a mass of people teach themselves how to think, how to plan? Is there a structure that could help us think and plan better?

At a minimum, what if some record company or agency announced that it would never make disciplinary decisions for any reason without first waiting two weeks?

*[UPDATE: The apology video was taken down from YouTube; here are some excerpts that are still up.]

Comments

[askbask.livejournal.com]

I've seen my share of disagreeable things but coming across those pictures and the video for the first time still felt like a punch in the gut.

I've voiced my complaints about the AKB48 empire (like many other things) and earlier on I even stayed away from their products because I didn't like their brand of sex appeal, the voyeur creepy nature of their girl next door stylings (which was ickier/more controversial before).

I realized after a while I was a bit hypocritical about taking such a strong stance here since I disagree with a lot of other institutions and artists whose works I consume and sometimes enjoy, and in the past year or two I've openly loved some of the singles put out by them. 2012's "Gingham Check" makes great use of some formulaic elements of their sound and those jpop chords I so desperately want a clear English analysis of to create feelings of nostalgia and melancholy and youthful glow, with a great title that seals the deal, and I've of course also been influenced by smart fans like arbitrary_greay who writes well about jpop idols and music, even if she says, if I recall correctly, she's not really into AKB48 because of the latter.

Now I feel back to square one again. I knew several members had been fired for having relationships exposed to the public or even for flimsier reasons such as having _previous_ relationships exposed, pictures with a boy revealed, etc. But my conclusion here was they're better off outside the group anyway.

This is different because it's public bullying for slutty behavior. Whether she cut her hair in an emotional frenzy trying to make it all alright or not doesn't matter, the company uploaded the video and then, after a lot of bad press, took it down because in their words 'the fans understood her apology was heartfelt'. Fuck off fuck off fuck off, that goes for the label and the dumb fans and the misogynist, archaic ideals of purity they reinforce with stunts like this.

I feel better about it now than when it happened because the backlash has been strong, and despite some defense by fans who say 'you don't get the culture' the response is negative in mainstream Japan (and Korea) as well: http://www.asianjunkie.com/2013/02/minegishi-minami-supported-by-fellow-akb48-members-japanesekorean-netizen-thoughts/

Except by the fans who want this thing strongly enforced, of course.

Kara's Goo Hara didn't shave her hair when her relationship with a guy in a top tier boy band was revealed, and they're still together, and Kara just did a show in the Tokyo Dome. But then you hear interviews with k-pop groups who say they don't/can't date or if they do will keep it a secret, and that always annoys me as well even if it's just a quick remark.

I knew about these stupid rules being enforced before, but it's the power of these images and the ugly signals they openly proudly send that tipped the scale.

This week a sister group of AKB48 topped the Oricon chart with over 500 000 physical singles sold so it's doubtful this is a danger to the franchise alone. But since then another OG important member has said she's leaving the group this year after a lot of those announcements recently, and I see some people talking about their peak days coming to an end. Sales-wise not much suggests that yet so I wouldn't be so sure. I don't know a lot about historic precedence, or this industry in general, or this group at all (but I've watched a few things of theirs that are not music videos, among them a 'day in the life' thing with the former #1 most popular member (now left) which was pretty candid and didn't try to hide her feelings like these rules are supposed to do*), but AG does so you'll probably get a better rundown.

[koganbot]

I'm hoping that AG shows up soon.

I remember* Jiyeon being reported to have said in an interview or on TV that the women in T-ara were allowed to date but that there's no way they could find the time. (Then again, her workload probably way surpasses the others'.) My guess is that in K-pop where there is a prohibition against relationships it's owing to potential fan jealousy, and isn't about — or isn't so much about — so-called sexual purity. But I don't know, and I have a feeling that the groups and agencies are walking a line. I just Googled up this brief and more-intriguing-than-informative allkpop.com article about a 4minute TV interview in which 4minute said they were never forbidden to date, but it has this not contextually clear quote from Jiyoon: "We never had such restrictions. I think the agency knew that we wouldn't be able to have boyfriends." (I'm assuming that she means they wouldn't have the time or opportunity, but maybe she means that the agency knew that the women in 4minute would know better. I hope not.)

Of course it would be utterly, completely insane to say that 4minute's image is virginal and pure. Maybe I'm underestimating the naïvité of the K-pop fanbase (a fanbase that is broad anyway and contains all types, including me), but I'd assume that T-ara, while cute, are also recognized as being fairly provocative. Now, there's no inherent conflict between being sexually provocative and being a virgin, and in the old days saying in effect, "This is what I've got but if you want it you need to marry it" would be standard; but modern-day uses of "virginal" and "pure" seem to have lost or at least muddied up that particular nuance.

Remember when Zico and the rest of them in Block B shaved their heads? I think that was a clear case of mob stupidity and bullying, with Block B caving in and apologizing for something they hadn't done. They were said to have been rude to Thais when doing an interview in Thailand, insensitive to Thai suffering in the floods, when actually from what I could tell from the interview (assuming the Eng Subs are right), they were just goofing on the idea that they — and by implication pop stars in general — were exceptionally generous; in other words they were self-aware and trying not to be hypocrites. At one point allkpop.com actually admitted to being at fault for passing along bad reporting regarding the incident, though allkpop was too lame to simply say, "Look, the whole thing was trumped-up bullshit, and even though we live off such stuff, we crossed the line here."

The Block B and T-ara incidents are more interesting to me than this one in that the bullying there was mixed in with concern for the unfortunate, with most of the mob not essentially being bullies or antis, many of the commenters just being credulous and not that bright. While here, from what I can tell, the corporation and Minami were trying to pre-empt mob action that hadn't yet taken place (though the whole setup seems based on the possibility, if not of mob action, at least of consumer disaffection). From the little I've read, if there's any mob action it's on the other side, the groundswell of people being upset by what was done to Minami. And I must say, even while the groundswell seems to be right, and I share the emotional impulse behind it, the impulse is not different in emotional kind from the Netizen impulse to get all upset on behalf of poor Hwayoung and to let loose and beat up on T-ara in response, and to feel good about oneself for beating on them.

(By the way, while there is a lot of babyishness in Netizen behavior, I'd hardly restrict that to fans of K-pop and J-pop. The Internet is where people of all stripes go to act infantile. As I said to subdee recently, a lot that goes on in my friends' Tumblrverse is a more complex and educated version of the same childishness and unhappiness.)

*Yes, I know that's not good sourcing.

[koganbot]

By the way, just now clicking on that Asian junkie link, I see that IU had a scandal that I know nothing about! Hey, stars! If you're having scandals you need to drop me a note and inform me.

(Okay, I don't haunt allkpop.)

Don't have time to check further today. Am I right in assuming that IU survived her scandal fine, whatever it was?

[askbask.livejournal.com]

Well she had and still has a weekly job as a host of Inkigayo and has done other activities, on TV and promotional and live since, and has gained new sponsor deals, so her career never seemed directly affected by it. But now netizens make jokes about that thing on every IU news story, so in terms of public perception it's not necessarily quickly forgotten.

My impression of following some core people at LOEN's music-producing division is that they have some very smart, sympathetic, good people working there. I only recently found out that director Cho and Kim Eeana, the lyricist/creative director/etc. are married. They've commented sensibly and straightforward on other issues in K-pop and the industry. But someone in Loen, maybe it was somewhere else in the company I don't know, made a mistake when they released a statement saying IU and the guy were friends and he was just visiting her when she was sick, because _that_ has now become the punchline to every netizen joke about it and other 'scandals' - that the guy is just on a sick visit (shirtless, in bed, etc.)

She's releasing a new JP single very soon and a new KR album this spring. Premiered some self-composed tracks recently. One track was revealed at the concert last year, 'Bad Day' http://youtu.be/et9Bd8e4gN0

The icky thing about this story isn't how it effects her career, because I don't think it will make any difference on it or her sales, it's the use of the nickname/image 'the nation's little sister', which now supposedly is 'ruined'. That does tie into the ideals of a pure and innocent idol for the masses. Everything she's said in interviews indicates she wants none of that nickname and has caused even me to speculate in conspiracy theories that she uploaded it knowingly. Maybe not, but she's always been spontaneous and rebellous, like when she's gone to guest on radio shows without telling her agency, or when she previewed some of those tracks saying "LOEN told me not to but I'm really angry at them today so I will", and probably doesn't feel bad about whatever new perception of her is now established.

It's hard to assess how people feel about her image/the nickname, because most critical voices (among netizens) have said something like "they can't sell the innocent schtick now", which is true I guess, but then they really couldn't before either, if anyone cared to listen to what she said. (But they did sell the cutesy with her earlier stuff like 'marshmallow', maybe that's what people remember). In any case it's not something you can criticise her for.

Incidentally the three BFFs IU, Jiyeon and Suzy all had this pristine image, deserved or not, before tearing it down through accidental scandals or their own determination. Jiyeon's story we know. Before this 'scandal' happened IU was on some shows talking about dating recently, about trying out life's pleasures (drinking, watching smut) and saying she was not a goodie-two-shoes like people thought she was ("I'm going to disappoint you soon" literally a week before this incident). Suzy said she was a horrible student who slept through class ('and seemed proud of it' in the words of commentators) and has recently said that now she's an adult she wants to shock people and be more provocative.

[koganbot]

But someone in Loen, maybe it was somewhere else in the company I don't know, made a mistake when they released a statement saying IU and the guy were friends and he was just visiting her when she was sick

My respect for human stupidity increases every day.

Btw, according to Wikip, the guy is Super Junior's Eunhyuk. I don't know much about him except that I love him for his fanboy dancing to "I Am The Best" at the 2011 MAMA.

[askbask.livejournal.com]

Yes, the fact that the guy is one of the most famous members from the boy band with the biggest fan group in Korea makes a difference, and it came out of the blue.

[koganbot]

Eunhyuk's fanboy dancing (with help from Sooyoung), new link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzBZZ3eVmws