[NAVER] American card company apologizes for racist portrayal of BTS

[satoori]

American card company apologizes for racist portrayal of BTS

Article: BTS, bruised and hurt by whac-a-mole game... American card company under controversy

Source: Herald Economy via Naver

1. [+1,009, -17] I respect that there's a freedom of expression allowed in art but I can't shake the feeling that something very cruel and abnormal was portrayed in this image. It has been over 20 years since we've entered the 21st century and it doesn't feel right that such outdated ideas are being expressed as art still.

2. [+556, -30] How is the US still considered a developed country? This is so barbaric.

3. [+281, -25] The fact that they're so jealous of BTS means they've already lost. This card company has shown the entire world how pathetic they are and they will pay the price for messing with a group like BTS.

4. [+165, -6] Why?? Were they shaking in their boots in case BTS won?? Did they feel that threatened by BTS?? Tsk tsk.

5. [+105, -4] At a time when Asians are under threat because of the virus, it feels wrong that such a piece of art was put out ㅡ.ㅡ I'm curious as to their true intentions.. ㅡ.ㅡ

6. [+45, -4] The US no longer feels so amazing to me anymore. They're only rich because they have a lot of land. They no longer represent the standards of a developed country.

7. [+41, -0] You can also tell they were discriminating by naming the other artists but just writing 'K-Pop' for 'BTS' ㅋㅋ

8. [+36, -2] BTS has overcome all this racism to make it to the Grammys.. I hope the Korean media gives them the treatment that they're due. I support BTS

9. [+21, -0] Anyone can tell from looking at the image that they're being discriminatory to BTS in a cheap way. They should be embarrassed, tsk tsk.

10. [+16, -0] After the pandemic happened, I've lost all respect I used to have for the US and Europe. I used to assume everyone there was smart but they're actually so barbaric...

-

Article: American card company eventually issues apology over BTS being whac-a-mole

Source: Joongang Ilbo via Naver

1. [+344, -9] Why is racism so rampant in the US?? What makes them think they're so better than everyone else!!! It's so frustrating.. Do they think pretending to beat someone and then apologizing makes it go away? They meant to antagonize people.

2. [+170, -2] It doesn't sound like an apology... more like "We see that you guys are very mad over this image so we will stop selling it." I don't think they recognize that this is racist and where the criticisms are coming from.

3. [+103, -12] They messed with the wrong group~ I don't think they know what Armies can do

4. [+81, -1] Anyone can tell that this was intentionally racist

5. [+55, -3] They're crazy for this. CR.

[satoori]

related topic:  TOPPS problematic cartoon of BTS (feat. Grammys)

https://onehallyu.com/topic/834139-topps-problematic-cartoon-of-bts-feat-grammys-update-apology-released

 

[Mrs. Morale]

18 minutes ago, satoori said:

2. [+556, -30] How is the US still considered a developed country?

....I truly want to know...

[Solfa]

27 minutes ago, satoori said:

1. [+344, -9] Why is racism so rampant in the US?? What makes them think they're so better than everyone else!!! It's so frustrating.. Do they think pretending to beat someone and then apologizing makes it go away? They meant to antagonize people.

Having lived in many countries, including the US, racism is rampant everywhere. US simply talks about it more and there is a social stigma against it. In most countries racist and sexist remarks are normalized part of everyday conversation. Random racist comments make the news in the US and therefore internationally, but in other countries? Life just goes on. 

That doesn’t justify the treatment of BTS though. It’s just a comment on the state of discussion about racism around the world. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Solfa

[satoori]

2 minutes ago, Solfa said:

Having lived in many countries, including the US, racism is rampant everywhere. US simply talks about it more and there is a social stigma against it. In most countries racist and sexist remarks are normalized part of everyday conversation. Random racist comments make the news in the US and therefore internationally, but in other countries? Life just goes on. 

That doesn’t justify the treatment of BTS though. It’s just a comment on the state of discussion about racism around the world. 

good point

Edited March 25, 2021 by satoori

[Hizu]

3 hours ago, satoori said:

6. [+45, -4] The US no longer feels so amazing to me anymore. They're only rich because they have a lot of land. They no longer represent the standards of a developed country.

Why, was that ever... a thing? The US, the standard of a developed country...?

[sakurahanabira]

3 hours ago, Solfa said:

Having lived in many countries, including the US, racism is rampant everywhere. US simply talks about it more and there is a social stigma against it. In most countries racist and sexist remarks are normalized part of everyday conversation. Random racist comments make the news in the US and therefore internationally, but in other countries? Life just goes on. 

That doesn’t justify the treatment of BTS though. It’s just a comment on the state of discussion about racism around the world. 

This. I've seen European PoCs on Reddit say that racism is worse over in Europe than in the US because it gets downplayed over there or treated as not a big deal. Meanwhile racism and anything related to it like white supremacy is constantly being called out in the US especially on social media, and is how movements like BLM and StopAsianHate are a thing here.

But anyway I really don't know what the company was even thinking? Like there's a whole movement going on right now in the US about the unjust violence against the Asian American community especially towards the elderly and they choose to portray them as...beaten up? It's so horribly tone deaf. Even without the StopAsianHate/HateIsAVirus/StopAAPIViolence movement going on, it's still tone deaf and racist. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by melancholic autumn

[RIPHaldir]

Those cards are disgusting

[Guest]

So their apology was like "Oops we got caught, sucks. No more card for you kpop fans" and didnt.even apologize to the victims 

[RIPHaldir]

47 minutes ago, NothingOriginal said:

So their apology was like "Oops we got caught, sucks. No more card for you kpop fans" and didnt.even apologize to the victims 

Basically 

[Jikrytae]

How is this racist? It looks like a (crude) criticism of kpop, which isn't inherently racist. Am I missing an important detail here, or is everyone else just being touchy & jumping to conclusions?

Quote

6. [+45, -4] The US no longer feels so amazing to me anymore. They're only rich because they have a lot of land. They no longer represent the standards of a developed country.

Try telling the Russians that. They must be even richer, right? 

[satoori]

8 minutes ago, Jikrytae said:

How is this racist? It looks like a (crude) criticism of kpop, which isn't inherently racist. Am I missing an important detail here, or is everyone else just being touchy & jumping to conclusions?

there's underline racism.

check out the related thread.

[Jikrytae]

23 minutes ago, satoori said:

there's underline racism.

check out the related thread.

I'm still not convinced. Whack-a-mole is often used as a euphemism for futile attempts to get rid of something you don't like, but the "something you don't like" here could just as easily be boy bands, etc. It doesn't have to mean Asians. There's no automatic association with racism like that one tweet suggested. Could the creator have racist motives? Yes, but it's far from guaranteed or obvious.

Also, I strongly suspect that some of the responses to those articles wouldn't have even been written if they had chosen a different group to target.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Jikrytae

[satoori]

22 minutes ago, Jikrytae said:

I'm still not convinced. Whack-a-mole is often used as a euphemism for futile attempts to get rid of something you don't like, but the "something you don't like" here could just as easily be boy bands, etc. It doesn't have to mean Asians. There's no automatic association with racism like that one tweet suggested. Could the creator have racist motives? Yes, but it's far from guaranteed or obvious.

Also, I strongly suspect that some of the responses to those articles wouldn't have even been written if they had chosen a different group to target.

that's fine you're entitled to your opinion.

 

end results: there was backlash from fans, industry people, celebs and etc. the company removed the card and apologized.

the timing was bad. in general, this isn't a only bts issue. tbh any poc group probably would have had a similar reactions. 

 

[Goten21]

On 3/26/2021 at 12:28 AM, Solfa said:

Having lived in many countries, including the US, racism is rampant everywhere. US simply talks about it more and there is a social stigma against it. In most countries racist and sexist remarks are normalized part of everyday conversation. Random racist comments make the news in the US and therefore internationally, but in other countries? Life just goes on. 

That doesn’t justify the treatment of BTS though. It’s just a comment on the state of discussion about racism around the world. 

+1

what an awkward comment by the k-netz when they’re literally still doing blackface

[Goten21]

On 3/27/2021 at 1:11 AM, satoori said:

there's underline racism.

check out the related thread.

Do u have a link 

[sakurahanabira]

4 minutes ago, Rosé's Waistline said:

+1

what an awkward comment by the k-netz when they’re literally still doing blackface

So because some of their people think blackface is okay, you think that South Koreans in general aren't allowed to decry racism. You don't even know whether these Knetz have done blackface or not but you're going to accuse them of having engaged in it? Also I don't think you even understand that racism towards Koreans = racism towards all Asians because other races can't even tell us apart. Why else do you think there's been an uptick in anti-Asian violence ever since the pandemic broke? 

[sakurahanabira]

On 3/26/2021 at 5:32 PM, Jikrytae said:

I'm still not convinced. Whack-a-mole is often used as a euphemism for futile attempts to get rid of something you don't like, but the "something you don't like" here could just as easily be boy bands, etc. It doesn't have to mean Asians. There's no automatic association with racism like that one tweet suggested. Could the creator have racist motives? Yes, but it's far from guaranteed or obvious.

Also, I strongly suspect that some of the responses to those articles wouldn't have even been written if they had chosen a different group to target.

You can agree to disagree but you can't deny that it's incredibly tone deaf considering the current climate in the US where Asians are being attacked for their race. Like this was released just a few days after the Atlanta shooting. You can't pretend that there isn't a coincidence that this was released after that tragic incident. 

[satoori]

46 minutes ago, Rosé's Waistline said:

Do u have a link 

https://onehallyu.com/topic/834139-topps-problematic-cartoon-of-bts-feat-grammys-update-apology-released

 

[Goten21]

17 hours ago, melancholic autumn said:

So because some of their people think blackface is okay, you think that South Koreans in general aren't allowed to decry racism. You don't even know whether these Knetz have done blackface or not but you're going to accuse them of having engaged in it? Also I don't think you even understand that racism towards Koreans = racism towards all Asians because other races can't even tell us apart. Why else do you think there's been an uptick in anti-Asian violence ever since the pandemic broke? 

Because they’re calling out an entire country in a similar fashion. The way you entirely missed the point lmao

[Jikrytae]

On 3/28/2021 at 5:06 PM, melancholic autumn said:

You can agree to disagree but you can't deny that it's incredibly tone deaf considering the current climate in the US where Asians are being attacked for their race. Like this was released just a few days after the Atlanta shooting. You can't pretend that there isn't a coincidence that this was released after that tragic incident. 

Why would I pretend this isn't a coincidence? I'd be much more concerned if it weren't. But this was obviously drawn beforehand. And there's always something happening. Nearly anything can be considered bad timing or tone deaf if you try to link everything with innocent intentions to specific incidents.