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] 45s.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:11 pm (UTC)(link)
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bc i just busted out laughing at my desk DID SOMEONE ACTUALLY SAY THAT THO?!

[identity profile] frantastic.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeppp, several tumblr posts and a comment on this (http://www.spin.com/articles/k-pop-g-dragon-blackface-trayvon-martin-hoodie-instagram-photo/) article:

Image (http://oi44.tinypic.com/2wn31g2.jpg)

[identity profile] porcupinegloves.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
LMAO this is too funny

[identity profile] 45s.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
i cannot even with these ppl. and afaik, he didn't verify or say shit until this statement came about but lol forever and that has to be a troll

[identity profile] 45s.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
jesus be a fence

[identity profile] modestgoddess79.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
God this is so stupid. WHO IS GIVING YOU YOUR INFORMATION

BEST PART

[identity profile] shanny-w.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
what kind of dark twisted tunnels and decrepit crumbling passageways through their mind did they have to travel to arrive at that conclusion? oh, the workings of a genius' mind. we shall never understand. we're not smart enough to put two and two together.

[identity profile] heartsolid.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Lol omg A+

[identity profile] opd-top.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Lol seriously.

[identity profile] opd-top.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:04 pm (UTC)(link)
WOW! JUST WOW!

So I assume they mean Nightclawer is black cuz of the "NIGHT" in his name?? SEE WHO IS GIVING YOU YOUR INFORMATION?!

[identity profile] hisjulliet.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
well that is one type of delusion I haven't seen before

[identity profile] asnindie.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
C'mon try harder. Atleast say he was cosplaying Nick Fury. Look Sharp.

[identity profile] reelrecnizereel.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I've never in life wanted to stab a comment so bad lmaoo tomfoolery

[identity profile] modestgoddess79.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
there you go with your hostile aggressive comment on comment violence

[identity profile] modestgoddess79.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
seriously someone could get hurt here, I'm scared of blood

[identity profile] klauses.livejournal.com 2013-08-02 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
lmao goddamn, what an idiot
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] 45s.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
i'm trying to stifle laughter as coughs and i am going to have to go to the bathroom and let a laugh out bc this is hilarious to me!

like WHY EVEN DEFEND IT WHEN HOMEY DIDN'T BOTHER CLARIFYING RIGHT THEN AND THERE. like there was over 1000+ comments on that photo and this dumb ass waited half the week to say shit?

if he cared about it, he would have just re-upload with a caption or take it down. both simple things.

occam's razor does not exist in kpop fandom i guess

[identity profile] modestgoddess79.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
and this is why I complained in the other post about fans willing to lie and mistranslate things for their bias

[identity profile] eccentricvibe.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Idk if you mind me asking but is http://blackinasia.tumblr.com/ your tumblr?

[identity profile] modestgoddess79.livejournal.com 2013-08-01 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
no not me, he just has good taste in icons