http://benihime99.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] benihime99.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] omonatheydid2013-08-01 08:27 pm

G-Dragon's Camp Says K-Pop Star Wasn't Wearing Blackface

Says Trayvon Martin-like Instagram photo was both "HUGE misunderstanding" and reference to cover art from Big Bang mastermind's next solo effort

130801-g-dragon

An Instagram photo of South Korean pop idol G-Dragon wearing what appears to be a hoodie and dark coloring over his skin was not meant as a comment on race or politics, according to a rep for the Big Bang leader.

"GD was simply wearing different facepaint colors and this is a HUGE misunderstanding," the spokesperson said in an email to SPIN. "The facepaint is only a color variation for his album cover which includes black, white, and red. It is in no way meant to be a political or racial statement."

The rep further clarified, "It’s being derived by a simple photo shoot where GD was using different facepaint colors for his upcoming album."

G-Dragon's spokesperson also said SPIN's article reporting on the image "is completely wrong and taken out of context."

The response comes after we reported on the photo, noting its resemblance to an iconic image of slain Florida youth Trayvon Martin and pointing out that it had drawn criticism online. Though the singer's Instagram account made no mention of Martin, the image bears an eerie similiarity to a meme that had Frank Ocean, Diddy, the-Dream, and others posting photos of themselves in a hoodie last year. (Rap-Up has a good collection of these Martin-inspired images.) Online forums Oh No They Didn't! and One Asian World previously pointed out an alleged connection to the Martin tributes.

G-Dragon is set to appear at KCON 2013, a K-pop convention in Los Angeles on August 24 and 25, and he is readying a new solo album. G-Dragon's 2012 "Crayon" was SPIN's No. 1 K-pop song of the year. His group Big Bang's "Bad Boy" was one of SPIN's 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time. Check out our coverage of a Big Bang concert in New Jersey here.

The original Instagram photo is below:
130801-g-dragon-facepaint_0
That's some Justin Bieber level of PR...

EDIT:
the official omona twitter has shared our open letter with authors from spin and the la times who wrote articles about GD.

Spin

[identity profile] shineebambi.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
I know I am I always have been ^__^ doesn't stop me from being right though but thanks for playing
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[identity profile] shineebambi.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
It's cause I'm right ^__^ by the way read those links I sent you were so adamant I sent you to prove it cause I'm gonna go with.......let me take a guess............this is really hard but I'm gonna say.......no
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[identity profile] liederkreis.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
As one white woman to another, you can cut it out with the condescension. If you're old enough to be making remarks like this, you're certainly old enough to understand that there's a difference between a handful of people facing prejudice and an entire group of people facing systemic oppression. Please act like the adult you so enjoy implying you are.

[identity profile] shineebambi.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
omg im the thick one im the thick one hahahaha i have professors and lecturers and entire journals devoted to my side going back oh 30 years or so ( by the way the article i linked you too is from like the 80's so this isnt some crazy new information and the video series she started those classes in the 60's but you still havent watched them) from award winning authors and professors but im the thick one k sunshine keep doing what your doing keep fighting the good fight
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[identity profile] shineebambi.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
oh hun ive been sitting here laughing at your sorry ass no need to worry about my heath you still showed you ass through the post so sucks to be you

[identity profile] shineebambi.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
they really do espically with the backpealding IM JUST TROLLNG HAHAHAHAHAHAHA dont mind me while i shit of PoC that get shit on everyday for my social experiment im doing hahaahahahahahaha im not racist its a social experiment guys okay