[identity profile] benihime99.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] omonatheydid
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

Re: That Black in Asia tumblr post on GD though

Date: 2013-08-02 01:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hipployta.livejournal.com
You know...because I'm sure that if they are referring to using standard American dialect English or other such examples I will tell them off

She can have American Apparel too

Re: That Black in Asia tumblr post on GD though

Date: 2013-08-02 01:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] e-bone (from livejournal.com)
I'm laughing b/c I'm nearly 30 and I STILL get remarks on how I "speak so well!" on job interviews, how polite/respectful I am, etc. My brother gets the same treatment on his RESIDENCY INTERVIEWS lmao. Ah, white folk be all fucked up sometimes.

Anyway, it's tumblr. I'm assuming that commenter will get ripped apart in a couple hours anyway.

Re: That Black in Asia tumblr post on GD though

Date: 2013-08-02 02:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hipployta.livejournal.com
This one older person and I were randomly talking about my languages and Masters program and said when we got released back to work he said, "Wow...you're so bright...good luck with everything"

I turn 30 next month...and I know he meant well..but...*sigh*

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