Lee KiKwang, member of K-Pop group Beast, appeared on the Korean TV show 'Hot Brothers' last week, where he was given a makeover with an Afro wig and black facepaint and forced to eat watermelon in a "keep cool under pressure"-type stunt.
Apparently Lee was at the mercy of the show's producers (and also, K-Pop stars are tightly controlled by their management, so he might not have had much say in whether he wanted to participate), but whoever is responsible for this should have known better. Issues of racism and xenophobia are complex in Asian countries, but there's never any excuse for promoting this kind of stunt on TV.
I don't want to post the actual photos of the watermelon part, because they're kind of making me uncomfortable, but you can see them here if you wish.
Do you think the show was wrong to put this on the air, Lovelies?
Anyways, people in America are so uptight about these things.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.
Because someone will sue.
I don't believe they meant any harm by it.
It's just a TV show, no one cares.
People these days look into things way too much.
AHH KiKwang haha i love himm. I don't think they meant to insult anyone or anybody.
not trying to start anything here, but i bet if they, or anyone else, were portraying a 'white' person, they would have no issues presented to them.
What the fuck is wrong with you people. No wonder everyone thinks Lovelyish is full of fucking morons - because it IS.
Racism is NOT okay. Fuck off and die.
it figures the people saying "LOL THATS SO LIKE..FUNNY...i think??
OMG NO BIG DEAL El-OH-EL" "People these days look into things way too much"
it doesn't surprise me because people are idiots....but it's so ridiculous that i actually just laugh at people that do things like that and the people who commented above me; cause, they're ignorant. shows like this stay on because they entertain ignorant people...sighhh. What a shame. You can't expect people to understand something they refuse to understand. mmm.
@SUPletstake___surveys@xanga - I know you're not but one reason that is is because white people would just let it go and laugh it off. things like this aren't funny to black people...most of the time.
The T.V. producer knew about the racial implications and still went through with the show--that shows that he DID mean to insult certain people. He could've stopped it, but he didn't. And Asian countries shouldn't be given a free-pass for this stuff just because "it's in their culture to be xenophobic." That's bullshit.
No one gets upset until it effects them. It is what it is, so accept it or correct it, either way move on.
Did I just read that wrong? Since when does racism equal 'nice things?'
I can't believe it ... I never liked Korean pop stars, or their music ... so excuse my bias.
Seriously? What if some non-Asian person in a tv show did a stunt like this, depicting the Asian stereotype. My goodness ... So yes, this is not justified.
@kuroshitsuji@xanga - No, because racist things are racist. Blackface was used in the past to prevent black people from being able to be in shows; why hire a black person when you can just put a white person in blackface? Same with how back in Shakespeare's time, in plays, men would play both men and women to keep women from being in plays. If someone did that today, it would be wrong.
And considering that Beast plays music started by black as well as are being produced with black people (they work with American companies that are mostly black owned), it's disrespectful. But then again, why am I surprised. The leader of a group in Korea that is suppose to represent the Girl's Generation said that Alicia Keys was pretty "for a black person." Why expect Koreans to adhere to the same racial standards that we expect most people in the world to?
oh and since there is such a problem with " xenophobia ... in Asian countries" I'm going to make sure to to scare the mess out of these "xenophobic people" whenever I see the chance...with my presumed watermelon in hand
meh, cultural differences
LOL B2ST♥ ahh gotta loove kikwang~~~
@Kestryl@xanga - Telling people to go die is not really okay either. It actually makes you a far worse person than the so called "morons" here. So you can fuck off too :)
Urgh, that is terrible.
@MissLady2012 - Hopefully that doesn't mean you're planning on turning around and being racist towards every Asian you encounter.
True 
Comments (118)
I had to LOL.
& Beast is LOVE<3
OMG B2ST<3
Anyways, people in America are so uptight about these things.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.
Because someone will sue.
I don't believe they meant any harm by it.
It's just a TV show, no one cares.
People these days look into things way too much.
AHH KiKwang haha i love himm. I don't think they meant to insult anyone or anybody.
not trying to start anything here, but i bet if they, or anyone else, were portraying a 'white' person, they would have no issues presented to them.
What the fuck is wrong with you people. No wonder everyone thinks Lovelyish is full of fucking morons - because it IS.
Racism is NOT okay. Fuck off and die.
it figures the people saying "LOL THATS SO LIKE..FUNNY...i think??
OMG NO BIG DEAL El-OH-EL" "People these days look into things way too much"it doesn't surprise me because people are idiots....but it's so ridiculous that i actually just laugh at people that do things like that and the people who commented above me; cause, they're ignorant. shows like this stay on because they entertain ignorant people...sighhh. What a shame.
You can't expect people to understand something they refuse to understand. mmm.
@SUPletstake___surveys@xanga - You hit the nail on the head.
@Kestryl@xanga - Tell that to the rap industry.
@SUPletstake___surveys@xanga - I know you're not but one reason that is is because white people would just let it go and laugh it off. things like this aren't funny to black people...most of the time.
The T.V. producer knew about the racial implications and still went through with the show--that shows that he DID mean to insult certain people. He could've stopped it, but he didn't. And Asian countries shouldn't be given a free-pass for this stuff just because "it's in their culture to be xenophobic." That's bullshit.
No one gets upset until it effects them. It is what it is, so accept it or correct
it, either way move on.
This is kinda offensive :/
@kuroshitsuji@xanga - Nice things?
Did I just read that wrong? Since when does racism equal 'nice things?'
I can't believe it ... I never liked Korean pop stars, or their music ... so excuse my bias.
Seriously? What if some non-Asian person in a tv show did a stunt like this, depicting the Asian stereotype. My goodness ... So yes, this is not justified.
@burgerking781@xanga - My thoughts exactly.
@kuroshitsuji@xanga - No, because racist things are racist. Blackface was used in the past to prevent black people from being able to be in shows; why hire a black person when you can just put a white person in blackface? Same with how back in Shakespeare's time, in plays, men would play both men and women to keep women from being in plays. If someone did that today, it would be wrong.
And considering that Beast plays music started by black as well as are being produced with black people (they work with American companies that are mostly black owned), it's disrespectful. But then again, why am I surprised. The leader of a group in Korea that is suppose to represent the Girl's Generation said that Alicia Keys was pretty "for a black person." Why expect Koreans to adhere to the same racial standards that we expect most people in the world to?
@SUPletstake___surveys@xanga - I agree.
@Momo_Wakahisa@xanga - yeahhh! tell it!
oh and since there is such a problem with " xenophobia ... in Asian countries" I'm going to make sure to to scare the mess out of these "xenophobic people" whenever I see the chance...with my presumed watermelon in hand
meh, cultural differences
LOL B2ST♥
ahh gotta loove kikwang~~~
@Kestryl@xanga - Telling people to go die is not really okay either.
It actually makes you a far worse person than the so called "morons" here.
So you can fuck off too :)
Urgh, that is terrible.
@MissLady2012 -
Hopefully that doesn't mean you're planning on turning around and being racist towards every Asian you encounter.
@fastlives@xanga - Ha, oh, but you first.
Man, I love lovelyish idiots.
Eh. It wasn't funny and it wasn't a big deal either.
@Kestryl@xanga - I'm sure you do love Lovelyish idiots, seeing as you are one of them.
It's a shame that the rest of us don't care much for you.