Lovelyish

hasnt this already been a post? or is this a reoccuring theme in this country…? hmmm =|

and i say, let ignorant people do what they want, in the end, they looks like idiots—not the people they’re disrespecting.  *kanye shrug*

I’m a little torn, because while I do know that countries like Japan and Korea don’t realize that this could be perceived as offensive to people in other countries, at the same time I don’t quite see this as being offensive compared to what blackface was in the early American 20th century. This guy is just trying to look like Stevie Wonder (whether he did a good job or not is another story). He isn’t exhibiting the gross Black stereotypes that blackface performers would usually portray, like EXTREMELY dark skin with fat, bright pink lips and a love for watermelon (I think I recall a previous TV segment in Korea where that actually was the case, and THAT was offensive). Unless he was doing that, I don’t really see an issue.

I’m more offended by the fact that he doesn’t look much like Stevie Wonder, and I’m not even sure if he’s doing a good impression either, lol.

Oh for the love of God…. they were not trying to be offensive.

Americans need to understand that on the rest of the planet, what’s offensive and what’s okay isn’t the same as it is in the US. Americans are often just as politically incorrect and downright offensive.

Let me think of an example… when Robin Williams stereotypes Russians as homosexual, hairy drunkards, it’s stupid and ignorant, but no one in the US cares. Or when MTV creates an entire idiotic show whose purpose is to reinforce negative stereotypes about Italian Americans, the show becomes a hit TV series. Or when many Americans think “Spanish people” are all illegal Mexicans. I could go on.

I guess you’re also forgetting, many of these things deemed offensive in the US were NOT meant to be offensive. Their intention wasn’t so be insulting, it was to… look like Stevie Wonder, who, being a black man, you can only look like him if you’re black or use blackface. Why do you assume everyone else knows the entire history of racism in the US? Most people don’t, and thus, they’re not trying to offend you. When Americans ignorantly portray Latin America as a poor crime ridden shithole, Russians as uncivilized wife beaters/whores, Asians (or should I say, Chinese/Japanese people, as apparently all Asians are either Japanese or Chinese) as lifeless nerds, and Arabs as if they’re all terrorists, etc, why do you expect the rest of the world to have the same knowledge of American history/culture that you, as an American, have? The hypocrisy in this argument is incredible, given that popular TV shows and other media are just as ignorant about foreign cultures as these Koreans have been of yours.

This is not the first time blackface has been done on Korean entertainment shows as well as in other parts of Asia. It’s not easy to explain, but I don’t think people over there are as aware of the history of blackface. Btw, the Korean entertainment companies pretty much own their singers. And these singers have no say and do as they’re told. Personally, I find blackface whether intentional or not clearly wrong. I’m not excusing what Boom or MBC did. I’m just saying the racial culture is different in Korea/Asia.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - You’re right, maybe the guy wasn’t trying to be offensive and Koreans or all Asians and blacks don’t have any kind of history together (that I’m aware of) like the whites and blacks here in the U.S. did, so maybe ‘blackface’ to them is another way of cosplaying which is basically looking like the character.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - Amen.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - My thoughts exactly. Also, it just looks like he was trying to dress like stevie wonder, I don’t see the big deal in that

anyway, instead of harassing other countries why not look at ourselves. Think of all the racist stereotypes and sexist stereotypes we have. Black face, when done tastefully, doesn’t have to be offensive. It’s just like dressing up as someone of the other race. It doesn’t always have racist undertones and if it doesn’t, which this doesn’t seem too. Then I don’t see the problem

@theflowerstem@xanga - @stuipdthing@xanga - Yeah, I think more of blackface as the attitude and the exageration, not just, you know, makeup.

It looks like a halloween costume attempt. The other incident that is being mentioned is obviously offensive, but I don’t quite understand it with this one. 

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - Preach it sister!

@TequilaKisses@xanga - I think she’s just writing things just to get our attention and it’s giving her the wrong attention.

news flash, america. your take on “offensive” doesn’t always apply to the rest of the world.

That is not really the classic blackface though. It looks like they were just trying to imitate the person. IDK the details though.

Its kind of different in asia.. the big entertainment companies control their artists like puppets. Even if the artist themselves might no agree with doing this, they mightve not had a say in it. Im not saying what theyre doing is right, but.. yknow.

so when white kids dress up as lil wayne and paint their face for halloween it’s racist too right?

And if someone did pull their eyes back to look Asian I don’t really care…

If it’s not hurting you physically or restricting your potential, why should you?

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter - how is this even being offensive.-.- 

that’s like me saying as an asian, i’m offended by you because you’re not asian but you have a random asian pop star as your prof. pic. it’s misleading.

@MoonFaeEyryan – you’re not black so you wouldn’t understand. Black people went through way more suffering than any other culture.

Because the right way to talk about this sort of thing is belittle peoples’ emotions and life experiences and start contests about suffering and ignorance. 

:/

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - exactly. thank you.

and for goodness sakes, if I want to paint my face black and dress up as lil wayne or bob marley just cuz I can maybe for halloween or just because… is that being offensive. no. 

and @MoonFaeEyryan ^ She summed it up perfectly actuallyI wouldn’t get offended if you did what I posted above with the eyes- especially if its as a joke. And do some of you honestly think they did it to be offensive to black people? They did it for humor. if you actually want to know what koreans went through ask, because most americans probably dont even know korea exists, let alone know that asia consists of more than china and japan like moon said.:l but you all really need to stop getting so pissed off about things like this. I mean, he did a blackface, I have no idea where the hell you guys are jumping in with your SLAVERY and HORRIBLE SUFFERING things. Its not like he dressed up like a slave with blackface and was saying like “oh i’m a slave farming cotton!” or something like that. I wouldnt get offended if you pulled your eyes back and said “I’M CHINESE!” or something like that, because its just a harmless joke. Its not like you’re saying “I’M KOREAN AND I blahblahblah insert in dark history and past of suffering in korea” ._.my 2cents :p

i don’t believe that’s blackface. I think it’s more of an SNL quality makeover. 

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter – Black people went through several more hundred years of oppression and slavery. Nobody else has you can’t compare that with any other nation or peoples history. Even now they’re the most discriminated against. That’s just simple fact.

@lostone42@xanga - So… the Jews don’t count? Good to know. I’ll pass that on. 

@MissPixieGlitter@xanga -True

@lostone42@xanga - What does being black have to do with anything? No one went through the most suffering. This is not a contest. Everyone went and still go through so much racism and so much suffering. It doesn’t matter because everywhere there are people suffering for whatever silly reason like race or religion etc; Suffering shouldn’t have to be contest nor do I have to be black , I may not be funny black or fully white (which I’m not. I’m half white and hispanic) but I understand racism and discrimination. 

@lostone42@xanga -Here is some info for you  

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter - The jews will always be prosecuted and they still are especially the middle east. They have a big thing going back for many centuries. 

Oh come on. Get over it. It’s not offensive.

This is blackface.  This and this (eddie murphy and gene wylder) are comedic gags.

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter - You’ve made valid points and I agree with you. Yes, it may be all about the laughs since it’s a comedic sketch, but at whose expense? I think any kind of blackface, yellowface, whiteface, what have you is not okay. And as I’ve mentioned earlier in this post, this is definitely not the first time Korean/Asian acts have done this which have created some kind of controversy outside of their respective countries. You would think people would know better by now.

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter - They do things their way. You do things your way.

Isn’t being offended because other cultures do things differently the very definition of intolerance?

Is this offensive? LINK

@hallentine@xanga - Just because Koreans are ignorant of Black culture does not make it an excuse to be offensive. They’re idiots.

@Niamh Hickey@facebook - To answer one of your related questions about Asians, they don’t do it to look like you sweetie. Common misconception that wanting bigger eyes is all about White people because you’re the only ones with large eyes right? And painting the face white? Are you talking about geisha or just a fact that having pearl skin meant you weren’t a farmer and has been inbred in Asian culture long before you got there?

@written_conversations@xanga - Not to you because you’re White. Duh

@DoRi_dOrI@xanga - Do that in an area that’s highly populated by African Americans and then ask if it’s offensive.

Korea has really racist comedies about Chinese and Japanese people, so it’s hard to know their intentions. Since it’s Super Junior, I’d say they didn’t mean it to be racist because most Korean singers admire black artists.

Just my two cents.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - I agree completely.

America must have picked this up from the 2008 election. No, this is not racist.

@lostone42@xanga - I’m black, and I completely agree with her comment.
Plus, telling someone that they won’t understand because they’re not black is totally inaccurate. There are black people who don’t know their own history and people of other races who have done so much research into it. Every race has been enslaved at some point in history, and people are allowed to feel sympathetic toward other races’ issues.

He’s fucking dressed up as Stevie Wonder, Stevie Wonder is black, Stevie Wonder is proud to be black, this guy probably loves Stevie Wonder, Stevie Wonder is the fucking bomb, he’s paying homage to him. This is not a racist thing. He would look positively ridiculous if he dressed up as Stevie Wonder without doing it, everyone would be like “That is a SHIT outfit, you don’t even look like him”.  

Blackface has roots in horridly racist vaudeville comedies. Not being aware of that is no excuse for continuing the practice as a comedic stunt, no matter what culture you’re a part of. 

seriously it’s not funny at all because of that hallyu things they act like they’re superstar, but in fact they’re NOTHING 

they can’t have a voice like Stevie wonder, or Whitney Houston or any other black people who have great voice and went trough all the pain to be respected by people even if they went on SURGERY on their throat i think KOREAN entertainer have to learn what does ‘RESPECT’ means or at least learn from they senior like DBSK and Bae Young Joon..they are who make fun of black people are nothing compared to black people talent they’re just idol not an artist,,black people like Stevie Wonder are artist, they know what art is not only being an idol with no talents at all except talent to insult and make fun of people

@Jessica - WHAT? They are not American, they do not have to abide by the rules of another country. Values/law/morals are born from the history of a country, so to push your values on their culture would be an abomination. Their culture is very different from America. Even Britain is very different, our sense of humour, the way we are. So just have some respect and acceptance. 

@chadwilly@xanga - I think people who perpetuate stunts like this are the ones who should have more respect.

@Jessica - The very fact that you find it so inherently offensive says more about you, your ingrained values, the history of your country. You’re not getting my point at all. They don’t have the same history with, say black slavery, so it doesn’t mean the same thing to them, they don’t feel that ancestral/historical shame.

@chadwilly@xanga - By that logic, though, I shouldn’t be sensitive to the Holocaust and Nazi-borne anti-Semitism because that’s not technically part of my history, because I’m American and not German? Again, it’s not an excuse.

@Jessica - But it is a part of American history, of British and many countries. I think we all feel outraged by the Holocaust, but we don’t feel the shame of responsibility for it, we feel terrible for what happened of course. You can be sensitive to whatever you want to be, I’m not going to tell you what to think. But you can’t tell another country to bend to the American morals because it is a separate way of life. Your morals on “blacking up one’s face” are wisely present for a reason, a cautionary nudge to the past. It would probably be wise to not waste your energy on this, because it doesn’t exist with the intention of being offensive to American’s/black people/Stevie, it was intended to be entertaining, it’s Stevie wonder, people probably dress up as him all the time, because he’s famous the world over, not because they want to mock him, but because they love him! Why don’t you go an read about slavery or the Holocaust and get angry about that, that would make more sense, those things WERE actually intentionally bad. Or you could just accept that silly bit of entertainment for what it is and go and put your feet up and chill out. That’s what I’m going to do. Just… let it go, it’ll be good for the soul.

why weren’t people this upset about that movie white chicks, where those two black guys dress up as white women? or when eddie murphey, dave chapelle, or other black comedians, would don white face powder and portray a stereotypical white man? how come that was funny and ok to do, but not this? too much of a double standard, yet they still got something to whine about. 

@Jessica - Plus I was talking about shame, not sensitivity. They don’t mean the same thing.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I wouldn’t be offended if a black person pretended to be a famous white guy either.

@chadwilly@xanga - Just because my country wasn’t “responsible” for the Holocaust doesn’t mean I can make, I don’t know, jokes about concentration camps and get off by saying I’m not “intentionally” being disrespectful. It’s disrespectful, plain and simple. Taken alongside the history of xenophobia and racism that’s plagued some Asian cultures (and other cultures, too), I think things that might seem facetious on the surface, like blackface on TV, continue to be part of the problem, not part of the solution.

from the thumbnail it looked like little richard with justin bieber.

 @Jessica - I missed the part where they made a joke of him, it looks like they’re celebrating him, and why not. Hey, Would this be the wrong time for a Stevie Wonder joke? 

If they were in the U.S. and aware of U.S. culture it would be a different story, but as far as I know Korean culture does not have a history of hiring non-black actors to portray black roles in stereotypic fashion

This isn’t racism compared to what happens when you ask a Korean person what they THINK of black people lol. Then they will say that black people are violent and dangerous.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - Hah, are you serious? Did you hear what you just said, Koreans are idiots? That’s making an offensive assumption to all Koreans. Practice what you preach.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - oh wow i didn’t know that

@her_phantasmagoria@xanga - Yeah, seriously… can everyone please grow up? 

@PinkLeopards@xanga - Yeah, seriously…I think the biggest problem is that a lot of people commenting on this post are aware of American history and are making excuses for the black face being portrayed here…

@PinkLeopards@xanga - That sentence made sense, yeah. You like to swear don’t you? OK I’ll go and fucking tell them.

@chadwilly@xanga - And while you’re at it, jump in a fire.

@fungusamungus33@xanga - Exactly. Why make excuses? People are beyond dumb sometimes.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - You know, you’re really getting your point across well. Don’t think I’m going to get offended by being called an idiot, because I’m not one, oh and it was so sweet of you to go tell me to jump in a fire. What is wrong with you? 

@KasumiCelesta@xanga -  Exactly!  This isn’t “Blackface,” which was an over-exaggerated and offensive make-up technique used to intentionally mock African American stereotypes in early American entertainment.  If anything, this is just a bad imitation of Stevie Wonder?

@Alexa_Sparks@twitter - why is it bad? white kids can’t admire a black person and want to dress up like that person? i don’t particularly admire lil wayne, but i think it’s pretty damn racist to say kids CANNOT dress up like him because they might be portraying a stereotypical black “thug.” should i be upset when non-asian little girls want to be mulan for halloween, as well?

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I do, thanks. It’s just obvious to me that they’re celebrating the music of Stevie Wonder – using “blackface” doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re being racist and criticising him. America is too quick to shout racism these days.

@MissPixieGlitter@xanga - History lesson – Black face was used to MOCK AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PLAYS AND SHOWS. IT IS OFFENSIVE.. If you don’t fucking get it then you’re fucking brain dead.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I’ve no qualms with Jessica, I did listen to her and I ended the discussion with her because I accepted her views as being just as valid as my own, she made some fine and truthful points, I thought she was right in what she said. People can have civilised on-line discussions and not start stamping like a brat and name-calling. You on the other hand, you are just being, um… I won’t even sink to whatever level you’re at, sorry, but are you this fun to be around in real life?

@PinkLeopards@xanga - Please don’t name call on this site; it’s a violation of our comment policy. I’m deleting your comment.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I’m so offended by you. Really I am.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - Whoa. If you see any instances of name-calling or other abuses of our policy, against you or anyone else, please let me know and I will delete them. I will also block any repeat offenders from our site, which unfortunately I might have to do to you if you keep violating.

@Jessica - I ALREADY DID THAT JESSICA 6 FUCKING TIMES. Do you honestly believe that Xangans believe that reporting anyone has any consequence on ANY of these sites???

@chadwilly@xanga - You’ll get over it.

@written_conversations@xanga - More like because you’re White you feel uncomfortable about other races standing up when people are being racist towards them and your lack of education on both history and social issues makes you quite the hindrance to any civil rights movements to this day. How about that?

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I delete any Lovelyish comments that I personally see that violate our behavioral policy, in addition to those reported to me that violate our terms, as I have always done in the past. Lovelyish is the only site under my jurisdiction, so unfortunately I can’t delete comments on the other Xanga sites; those you can report using Xanga’s help email. You can report Lovelyish comments for violation either through private message to me, or through the Lovelyish email, which can be found on our About page.

@Jessica - Yeah I’m sure. *rolls eyes* Don’t bull shit me Jessica with your spiel. No one’s ever done anything before so don’t sit there are lie to my face! 

@chadwilly@xanga - He could celebrate Stevie Wonder by singing one of his songs, sense he’s a comedian he might not be able to sing and that would make it funny. I think your problem is, you believe people should be able to do things that are offensive to someone else without getting any backlash; not gonna happen.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - You’ve never reported any comments to me before.

@chadwilly@xanga - I wouldn’t be offended if a black person pretended to be a famous white guy either. Of course not because white people don’t have any negative history with that.

@Jessica - I have to Xanga, PLENTY of times. Seeing as how I’ve learned reporting to most of you “admins” does nothing but give others a slap on the hand and a comment still left up I decided to bipass you. Seeing as how reporting directly to the host site of all these little sites should be taken more seriously, guess fucking what? NOT A FUCKING WORD.

How about you start being diligent on EVERYONE and not just me huh pumpkin? Because of the 4 times I’ve been called a nigger on Lovelyish you’ve been damn quiet, and you look awfully racist by not saying shit to them, like it’s acceptable to you when it isn’t.
So until you get off your ass and do some work don’t say shit to me.

@Jessica - Especially when you’re deleting civil responses of mine as well! 

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I can’t monitor every single comment on the site personally, though I try to read most everything. You haven’t reported any comments to me in the past. Any comments reported to me that are in violation will be promptly deleted.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - If a comment from you contains any name-calling or violations, I have to delete the whole comment.

@theflowerstem@xanga - Yeah, Dave Chappelle used makeup and a wig several times to play a white character. I thought it was fucking hilarious. I might have been offended if there was a mean-spirited attitude or something behind it, but even then I’d likely shrug it off. It does seem like their Stevie Wonder costume was really done out of admiration or celebration of the artist and his music, as opposed to the blackface I’ve read about in history books, which looks so much different than this situation. :/

@PinkLeopards@xanga - how about because impersonating a celebrity shouldn’t be racist, regardless of skin colour?

@written_conversations@xanga - DING DING DING!

I agree. (Unless, of course, it definitely looks like this.)

@blackspiders@xanga - I don’t 100% believe that he was trying to be offensive, I’m still trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I still think he could have chosen something else.

@written_conversations@xanga - It wouldn’t be racist if he wasn’t using a commonly known means of impersonating a Black person that’s obviously FIRST used to be offensive, and therefore will always be offensive.

Perhaps if there’s ever a time where racism didn’t exist, then it wouldn’t be offensive. But until that day comes it’s fucking offensive and you defending someone’s ignorance makes you just as racist.

This is FAR beyond racist and this is coming from a black girl myself. This man is actually cute and is just playing a black person. BLACK FACE on the other hand, was meant to mock blacks, portraying us as stupid, clumsy, and ugy by over exaggerating our features and behavior as stereotypical and insulting!  I don’t see this Korean person mocking black people in any shape or form if you ask me. What’s the problem?

@KasumiCelesta@xanga -  He isn’t exhibiting the gross Black stereotypes that blackface performers would usually portray, like EXTREMELY dark skin with fat, bright pink lips and a love for watermelon (I think I recall a previous TV segment in Korea where that actually was the case, and THAT was offensive). Unless he was doing that, I don’t really see an issue.

Exactly!!!!!!! I said something of the sort in another post.

Being honest I really don’t care that much on the photo. It’s true, I’m more worried about opinions people might hold personally by individuals in the country versus blacks and I’ve heard Indians as well, but this doesn’t offend me or kill me as racist

I say the only test is having a TV special featuring a black artist(s) then doing the same, in comedic homage to some Korean superstar. Fair is fair no?
The only potential issue I may have is when people are selective of this stuff. Daniel Tosh made a joke about blacks with an “offensive” voice then said fair is fair if many black comics use a redneck or stuck up white voice to describe whites. Like I said my issue for this would be only if everyone’s like nah it’s cool all in good fun for one of these every time it pops up in Korean media again and again, but when they let’s say heard about Spain’s national basketball team taking a joke team pic with their eyes slanted flipping shit and calling for their heads

@Jessica - So what exactly do you plan to do about SuperMicck’s comment right above?

@PinkLeopards@xanga - I just deleted it! And another one of yours, in fact. I’m going to block you from the site until you cool down a bit. Feel free to message me when you think you can participate in the site while still being respectful to other readers.

@PinkLeopards@xanga -

Yes, my comment clearly expressed that I was sobbing and rocking back in forth in a fetal position because you implied that I am stupid. You are funny.

Got a link to this site? I’d love to read more of your drivel.

@theflowerstem@xanga - Eh when I did I say that I think people should be allowed to do offensive things without any backlash? What the hell, there’s always going to be backlash when it comes to this sort of thing, especially now the internet exists and people instantly know more about what’s going on all over the world, and are able to discuss it with a wide range of people, like now.

I don’t even think this is funny though, what’s funny about it? What did he do that was funny? Was it meant to be a nasty mockery? Where is the article that says he made a joke out of Stevie Wonder? I can’t find one. He dressed up as Stevie Wonder, yes, I can see that, there’s nothing funny about that to me, that isn’t a joke, that is literally someone dressing up as someone else. Stevie is a brilliant man, he did/has always done so much for black people and white people alike, he personally helped my cousin who is also blind, he is a kind, warm, talented man. If that Korean man was mocking him in a nasty way then the man doing the mocking made more of a mockery of himself (ooh tongue twister), because come on, who is that guy? I don’t even know who he is. I don’t really care. But everyone knows Stevie.

Maybe it’s just the Korean sense of humour, and I don’t see the implied joke. I’m British, someone dressing up as someone else doesn’t really cut it as comedy for me. I’m sorry that I’m not offended by this. I can understand people being offended because of black history, I know a lot about black history, I’ve studied it a lot and I really feel for what black people have gone through. I’m still not offended by THIS though, it’s not gonna happen, it’s a waste of my energy.

And I didn’t say- “I wouldn’t be offended if a black person pretended to be a famous white guy either.”? I think you’re having a conversation with the wrong person there.

lol @ comments.

@chadwilly@xanga - Eh when I did I say that I think people should be allowed to do offensive things without any backlash?

I didn’t say you said it, it just seems to be your attitude.

black face doesn’t offend me. I remember when Sarah Silverman did it, it was more of a shock for me than anything. I understand the history of black face but it still doesn’t strike a cord for me. 

@theflowerstem@xanga - Oh OK, no it’s not really my attitude. I’ve explained my thoughts on this enough, I’m boring myself, seriously. 

When is lovelyish going to produce some actual content?

There’s a lot of Asian entertainers who impersonate famous people for humor.
 I don’t know how it’s like in Korea since I’m not Korean, but In Japan it’s called ものまね.  Some people are actually legit like the person they are impersonating,
while other people add their own twist to make it funny or purposely do a bad impersonation as a reflection of themselves.  Some people dress up as who they
are impersonating, while other people don’t and just do it with their voice or actions.
Even when they impersonate other famous Asian people, some people can wear makeup and outfits that are kind of ridiculous or poke fun at that famous person’s quirks. 
It’s not meant to be a racial problem.  It’s kind of like in SNL when Tina Fey dressed up as Sarah Palin.  The only difference is that Asian entertainers don’t like to only stick to only impersonating people they already look similar to.  I just thought I should add that here just so you know.

Although I do agree that the other impersonation from the previous article about Koreans doing black face is definitely crossing the line and is definitely emulating the blackface of the past, I don’ think the Stevie Wonder impersonation is meant to be taken as a
racist thing at all. This impersonation is about taking notice of the quirks and the personality about the specific person, not just the looks and stereotypical attitude of a whole race as is the case of the blackface entertainment that was popular during the past in America.  Please don’t chunk it together because it’s not done with the same intentions at all.  This is celebrating the personality of Stevie wonder with humor, black face of America was dehumanization of the African American people for entertainment. 

It’s okay if you don’t agree with me, but take a look at your own country and the racist stereotypes that fills its comedy world before making an argument against what I said.  Hypocrisy is an ugly thing.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - Did you just call Koreans idiots? I haven’t commented on a post for so long, but

OH HELL TO THE NO. Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl just because one black guy kills a person doesn’t mean ALL black people are all murders right? Stop categorizing people.

@PinkLeopards@xanga - stop judging the rest of the world by America’s standards. Blackface doesn’t have the same history in Korea and Europe as it does in America. Korea is not America and they don’t have the history of blackface that you guys have. All he’s doing is impersonating Stevie Wonder – he painted his face darker because hey, Stevie Wonder has dark skin. That’s all he’s doing and you’re just finding offense that isn’t there because of what you know about Blackface in America. But he’s not in America and he’s not American, so stop judging him by your standards.

dude… korean pop is so infused with black artists’ influences.

do you know how much rap they infuse in their songs? I think they have more female celebrity rappers than they do in america lol.

AMERICA, CHILL OUT.

NO!

i don’t think its offensive at all. peoople are too damn sensitive.
get over it.

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga - THANK YOU lol.

Umm.. From my previous knowledge… Blackface is a style like harajuku or lolita. It’s not about imitating a race. Although I think in this situation, they are paying homage to Stevie Wonder. I mean, if anyone was dressing up like Lady Gaga, would anyone be offended about how it’s an insult to her? No. So why is it just because this Asian guy wants to look like Stevie, everyone is up in arms about it? Because he’s not already black himself? So if say, an Asian girl like me were to bleach my skin (ouch) to look more like Lady Gaga, that would be offensive?

I had hoped to avoid utter and sheer stupidity today, apparently that will not be possible. why the hell do people have to insist on inventing things to get pissed off about? i am glad that there are at least one or two people who had the sense to point out the obvious, that this is not blackface but rather an imitation of a specific individual. it saddens me to see that there are people who are  too intent on fomenting ill will and drama that they continue to claim that this is a racist act. even in the original post the writer acknowledges that the performer is imitating Stevie Wonder. SHAME ON YOU OP. you have the nerve to acknowledge what it really is and then continue to claim that it is something else entirely. the behavior you display here does absolutely nothing to solve social problems and instead intensifies them. congratulations, you’re part of the problem. 
@Jessica - 1) people make light of the holocaust all the time, it’s a way of dealing with difficult times in history. 2) this is not the same thing, it is as has already been pointed out, not blackface. it is not mocking or making fun of or even making light of slavery or oppression, it is an imitation of a specific person; Stevie Wonder. to try to turn that into something racially offensive is in and of it’self offensive and to try to tie to a “history of xenophobia blah blah blah” in Asia puts you in the unenviable position of using racism to justify racism. just so that we don’t have to go back and forth on it i’ll draw a picture for you here. 

the premise that you put forth in the very comment i am now replying to amounted to this “Asians are racist. this Asian dressed up as a black man therefore this is a racist act perpetrated by a racist Asian.” 

@iones_island@xanga - ”People make light of the holocaust all the time, it’s a way of dealing with difficult times in history.” OMG, what? Who makes light of the Holocaust all the time, besides anti-Semites?

Here’s a rundown of the history of racism in Asian countries: link
Also, an interesting BBC article on racism in Japan.

Which is NOT to say that racism is at all unique to Asian cultures; look at the practices of the U.S. before the civil rights movement, or at apartheid in South Africa, for just a couple examples. But in light of the history that much of our world has in treating people of other skin colors inhumanely, we would all, ALL, do well to examine our behaviors and adjust our thoughts and our actions in accordance with what’s right.

@Jessica - well, for starters, Family guy and robot chicken have used it for comedic purposes; and if i really wanted to i’m sure i could find a plethora of others, but really given the tone of your arguments it would be pointless to try to convince you of facts.  in the political arena how often do we resort to calling the opposition “nazis”. of course, you wouldn’t recognize that since it’s so ingrained and acceptable in your culture, even though you deny it. 

don’t care about the history of racism in asian countries, we aren’t talking about asian countries, we are talking about one individual and one incident, which as has been said by myself and others, is clearly a tribute to a specific individual and not a mockery of a race or the ordeals of said race. the fact that you seek to justify your own comments without even addressing the comments that i made simply indicates to me that your comments come from a bad intent to cause controversy. i would like to say i expect more from the staff, but unfortunately i cant. 
going back to the holocaust, all I had to do was pull up youtube and this was on the front page.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aytQJzdhILM&feature=feedrec_grec_index
two clicks from that link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWTB8POnkg&feature=related 
noooo,,, no one ever makes light of the holocaust…

@iones_island@xanga - My comment did address your comments. Your first point, labeled 1), mentions that people make fun of the Holocaust “all the time,” which I responded to, and your 2) point, says that pointing out xenophobia within Asian culture is racist, which I responded to by referencing some sources about historical xenophobia in Asia and suggesting that because it’s historically true that racism exists in many cultures around the world, it’s an issue that we need to all be concerned with.

@Jessica - actually your second point is a false, and i am assuming intentionally so, representation of what i said. i never said that pointing out xenophobia in asian cultures is racist, what i said was that using that to justify calling this racist is racist. the response you gave to my remark about the holocaust was either the most ridiculously transparent false shock or you have been living under a rock your entire life as i demonstrated in my response to it. then, i don’t expect an honest dialogue here, seems that such a thing is increasingly difficult to find. continue your shit-stirring, but go ahead and leave me out of it from this point on. 

If this is so offensive should white Americans stop dressing up like Michael Jackson for Halloween? For the love of God, it’s a costume. Big deal. 

@PinkLeopards@xanga - This isn’t even “blackface”. This is a mask. There is a huge difference. They aren’t making a mockery out of African Americans. They’re simply dressing up as one. I don’t find that offensive. As I said before, should people of white or Asian decent stop being Michael Jackson for Halloween? No. They admire him and that’s why they want to dress up like him. This guy is dressing up like Stevie Wonder and it’s along the same lines.

So, I guess I should be Saying News Flash Asia, not everyone else in the rest of the world has the same standards on ‘Offensiveness” when a white girl pulls her eyes back to make them look like ‘single-lids” or ‘Asian” or whatever your choice of words would be. ***side note: I by the way have no problem with ‘single-lids’, and was shocked that even Asians themselves argue over which Asians have ‘the smallest eyes’.  I remember some ish hitting the fan a while ago when some pictures of a Japanese girl group hit the web, the picture showed them pulling there eyes back and apparently they (the Korean netizens) took it as a mimick and insult of Korean eyes . I’m an African American women by the way who has never been tempted to imitate Asian slanted eyes, and even though I was born and raised in the American south which has a smaller Asian presence compared to the American west, I know enough to know that it would be offensive to Asians to do so. And I’m not one of those self hating, insecure, uncultured African American women, I take great pride in my culture, just as many Asian tend to do…so where is the respect??? There are somethings that you just know without being told…I mean really…**  

Back to what i was saying tho,
The difference for you uninformed and delusional wannabes on here who feel the need to compare injustices between the Stereotypes mentioned about the Russians, Italians, and “Spanish” and ‘blackface’ ARE different.  Blackface, which was born out of the legacy of Slavery in the Americas, which was used as an vehicle to foster and ENCOURAGE institutional and systematic racism against African Americans, the impacts of which are still felt in American society today.  400 yrs of OUR struggle has been against these acts of degradation, a struggle which All voluntary immigrants to the U.S. in the last 30yrs have benefited from.  I’m sure a Jewish person would not be giving a pass to some one wearing a Swastika even it was “cosplay”.  Having said that, Yall need a serious HipHop/R&B/Soul/Rap music lesson 101.  I’m not even angry, because all I can only expect from ignorant people, is ignorant shit be they White, yellow, blue, or green. lol  nor is it surprising to say the lest. AND THAT’S REAL TALK!
Let me through this bone out there too for yall to chew on…Most of Kpop, is a emulation of the African American music genre, in style and in orientation, and for you folks to be up on here giving a pass on this ignorant crap, well, that says alot about the ability of Korean musicians to make it Internationally or to attract a larger global audience out side the Asian community abroad, because trust me, this would not pass go in Canada, US, UK, and the rest of the world (outside Asia that is). And btw, Europe does have a history of BlackFace just as well as America does.  This is even more proof of how these comments are based on lack of knowledge.  ’blackface’ was born during the Jim Crow period of the US (from 1877 through the 1960′s)  for all of you that are mis or un informed on what Jim Crow was, here’s a history lesson just for you…http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/who.htm.  Now you can no longer play, the innocent ignorance card.  Perhaps the rest of the Hiphop/R&B/Soul world (out side Asia) also have more of a better understanding and appreciation for the origins of this genre, and the people and culture that created it, which is by the way rooted in African oral tradition of storytelling and African American oral tradition of talking in rhymes (rhyming), signifying , .which was born out of the need to give a voice to the disenfranchised for justice and unity…it was a MOVEMENT, a by product of the Black Arts Movement of the 60′s and 70′s.   

I took a quick pause and did a search, and do you know that there is only one site/blog/web page that I found in regards to Asians against Racism…why is that????  I found many many many more that were about Racism AGAINST Asians. hmmmmm.  Makes me think what this white guy said to me about Asians crave acceptance for white approval and whine when whites are not nice to them, but can be very prejudice towards Blacks…and he was only talking about Asian Americans.  This is in Asia, Korea to be more exact right?  Having already done a bit of research on Black and Yellow relations, especially as far as they go IN Asia, I have to say that that whole Pure race and Homogenous society excuse is also crap and sounds a lot like the re-awakening of the Third Reich.  Had me thinking… So, is that were Hitler’s went after hiding in that bunker waiting for the WW2 to smooth over!!!  Here i was thinking that Hiphop/Rap, R&B can be used to unite people of color around the world against stereotypes and misrepresentation.  One would think that Asians, would be black and latino’s allies instead of being racist instigators.  Ironic that I’ve found more Caucasian run websites against racism than Asian ones considering the the racial history between us and them.
What a strange world we live in is all I can say.

Haha this is not offensive to me. Maybe he just likes Stevie. 

What does this have to do with America? 
Honestly, the “racism exists in America so Korea can be as racist as it wants” argument is RIDICULOUS. 
Is is about what many people, Americans, Canadians, South Americans, Africans, Europeans, and others Asians, find offensive. It’s not about what you or most Koreans find offensive. 
This may be shocking to you, but KOREANS CAN’T TELL NON-KOREANS what they should and should not find offensive. 
How would you feel if you’re race was constantly signalled out, if you were called “dirty” or “stupid” by people, constantly stared at, and pointed at every time you walk down the street. That’s often the case for black people living in Korea. 
And in the end, the most offensive thing about black face is the underlying message that Koreans would prefer to have other Koreans pretend to be black than have ACTUAL BLACK PEOPLE prominently on TV or in the media. 
I think and certainly hope that most Koreans don’t want that. Arguments like yours ensure that racism against black people in Korea is swept under the rug. 

@MoonFaeEyryan@xanga -