Tablo’s brother responds to the angry netizens

[theuncolored.livejournal.com]

A few hours ago, Tablo's brother Dave (Lee Sun Min, 37)'s created a storm in Korea due to his criticism of the MBC Infinity Challenge members and Korea on his Cyworld, angering readers. After watching this controversy blow up, some of you probably expected an apology. However, Dave instead left a post explaining his anger.

Was it that fun to read what I wrote about my annoyance to Infinity Challenge: New York episode..? Due to the 16 years of my social life in America, facing prejudice and discrimination, it was very uncomfortable looking at the hosts acting that way on the screen, okay? Not the comments the press makes like 'Korean humor is so funny!' but more like 'What are they?' ... Stuff like that?

You all saw the pizza guy tossing that slice of pizza like he's feeding a dog, right? I'm sorry for getting pissed about it instead of just laughing it away...

The MCs are the best in Korea. However, they are nothing but a bunch of funny and awkward looking Asians in New York. In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people. Why did they have to choose the obvious concept of 'English-mute Asians'..

If it was for a good cause of introducing our Korean food, why not take a translator who's good at English to make the conversation more interesting and funny?

I got even more furious at the fact that they were MBC, the fact that they were the Infinity Challenge.

In contrast to the negative response to the earlier blog post, some netizens are agreeing with Dave regarding this matter. Some have posted, "I share the same thoughts as Dave," "If the trip wasn't just to have fun but to spread the word of Korean food, it should've been more prepared," "It is very disappointing." However, the majority still remain angry at Dave for threatening their national pride, arguing, "Why do we have to speak English fluently when we are Koreans?" "There is nothing to be embarrassed about."

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Comments

[crisketch.livejournal.com]

Why do we have to speak English fluently when we are Koreans?

Wow that was the most sensible question I've heard. Ever. Srsly.

[mylittlebambi.livejournal.com]

yes, but the problem is it created the stereotype "asians can't speak english"....even between some asian people themselves koreans & chinese are regarded as the poorest ones in term of english

btw i'm not creating controversies here, i'm just stating the fact from what i can see & hear after almost 5 months living abroad.....and i'm asian

[centric-xx.livejournal.com]

tbh, i was pretty excited about the NY episode but now i think i might experience some srs second hand embarrassment.

[le-byul.livejournal.com]

This. The message is there but I guess how he got it across was the problem.

[analapana83.livejournal.com]

Dave ain't playing.


This is gonna get good.

Word.

[angelonair.livejournal.com]

(http://nl.tinypic.com)

[miduhyo.livejournal.com]

idk, for me, any valid point he has is kind of buried under all the whining and jackassery.

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.

Huh really? not where I live

[miduhyo.livejournal.com]

ikr? asians definitely get treated poorly, but anyone who basically says, "my racial pain is greater than everyone else's" kind of gets asshole points in my book.

[misswaldorf.livejournal.com]

i'm glad now his post sound more sane and composed.

[shadowfax.livejournal.com]

yes me too

[kjwcloudlover.livejournal.com]

Well, now I agree with him. He could have pointed what he felt in a more reasonable way at first.. He could have said what he felt without insulting, just making a analyze... But as a victim of prejudice and discrimination, I think it would be quite impossible..
In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.
I can't explain why I feel bad about this line ):

[shadowfax.livejournal.com]

Why did they have to choose the obvious concept of 'English-mute Asians'...

I haven´t watched the episode and don´t feel like watching it but I agree with this. Why to go with this stereotype in the first place...

[tablo.livejournal.com]

In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.

LMFAO. i don't even. all races experience racism, trying to compare tragedy like that is pointless and petty. i agree with almost all of what he said, but that was a particularly bold statement.

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.

??? *HEAD DESK*

On the other hand, I imagine him looking like my icon while typing this...

[tablo.livejournal.com]

i agree with everything you said but i especially like your last statement, asian stereotypes in the media are especially horrific.

[invisibelle.livejournal.com]

LOL i noticed that too. i was like wow, he apparently knows there's a difference

[keeni84.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying.

Racism is bad, no matter where you are. It's not like blacks, Latinos, whites, Asians, Native Americans,etc. are saints everywhere. Racism and colourism is huge, and we need to stop fucking trying to figure out who has it worse, and just make it better for everyone.

[niara-honey.livejournal.com]

THIS THIS THIS THIS THISSSSS.

[dinosaur2009.livejournal.com]

"In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people."

Why even bother with this line of arguement? Oh, Dave.

I'm not surprised at netrizens being offended by his Cyworld entry. Still, he shouldn't have to apologize and it's good he's clarifying his points with a less emotional slant. I'm still amused at his raging sixteen year old myspace rant, though.

[dinosaur2009.livejournal.com]

netizens, not netrizens

[niara-honey.livejournal.com]

that's with everyone.
as long as there's difference, there's gonna be segregation and what not. it's human nature to want to be with 'like' things/ppl etc.

it sucks it was like that at your school.

honestly, that comment made me go O_o? because where i went to school, the asians were treated like whatever. there was more of a blacks and hispanics are looked down on, whites are exalted and asians are allowed to slip through because no one was watching them (unless they hung out with the black kids).

[niara-honey.livejournal.com]

At first I was all "YAH YAH RAH RAH RAH YOU TELL'M!" now I'm gonna roll my eyes and ex out.

should have just left it was what he said before.

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

I find Dave really has some weird love/hate thing going on with both America and Korea. He wants Korea to stop acting like a douche and knows America is a dick. And either he loves both countries a lot and want them both to change, or he freaking hates both countries and would like to live in outerspace, and this is him venting out his anger.

I am seriously wondering what kind of racism he and Blo faced.

But I also gotta say, I kind of watched the clip, and I couldn't get through it it was so embarrassing. AS AN ASIAN. >_< If they had been Chinese hosts from China, I so would have been like Dave and ripped them a new asshole on acting like a bunch of douches. Yoo Jaesuk at least looked relatively normal, but people probably thought Gil and Park Myungsoo were like perverts or hobos or something. >_>;

[masturbia.livejournal.com]

This.

Netizens never see the real picture. Its not like he's pointing this shit for fun or just to rant, he's pointing it out because it's fucking embarrassing even as a second generation Korea. Instead of looking at it for what it is netizens once again go batshit and point the finger instead of address the issue.

I'm not even Korean but I love Korea so when they do embarrassing shit I'm like "wtf". I don't know when having pride in your country meant ignoring all it's faults. If and when Americans do crazy shit I call them out.

[loveisdesire.livejournal.com]

Why do we have to speak English fluently when we are Koreans?

Seriously? That's the best that person could come up with? English is the language to learn if you want to communicate anywhere in the world. Heck, English is even in your Korean music.

In America, the Asians get treated even more poorly then the Black, Hispanic, and Latino people.

Yeah, Dave this would help get your point across. 'My race gets more racial discrimation than those other races'.

I agree with him on the whole embarrasment thing but he sounds like such a spoilt child.

[coffeebang.livejournal.com]

Heck, English is even in your Korean music.

LOL, Ikr? Its like if you want to diss english that means you need to stop using it or else you're just hypocritical. And how many band names are English? Which is stupid because they use hangul for them anyways, so whats the point?

[pretzel-knot.livejournal.com]

his entry really sounded kinda harsh (i just saw the post lol), which might not be the best way to talk about it, and idk how true it is because i'm not from America and neither am i a Korean/Asian living there.

but arguing along the lines of 'why do we have to speak english fluently when we are koreans?' i'm just...wow. isn't that taking national pride a little too far? i mean, you're in America, how else do you want to communicate with others? or are you expecting them to cater to your language?

[dream-raine.livejournal.com]

if he started with THIS kinda of entry first, sure people won't be so mad now...

just sayin...

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

Even though I seriously hate public display of stupidity, I have to consider what is considered humor in korea and what is considered humor in usa.

Idk, but the whole "You all saw the pizza guy tossing that slice of pizza like he's feeding a dog, right?" just really got me :/
probably just me, but I HATE all kinds of humiliation.

Maybe its just his experience of living in America, I get the impression from all of those kpop people or there relatives that they went through a rough time living in America, so maybe that's why he feels quite bitter about this. :/

[invisibelle.livejournal.com]

honestly... i don't think the guy meant *anything* by tossing it that way. they do it that way at the new york pizza place next to my office, i've had it done to me many times and i was like "thx, yay pizza" just like the MCs were. i think people are blowing that out of proportion assuming it's some sort of meaningful gesture.

[mystisblom.livejournal.com]

"Why do we have to speak English fluently when we are Koreans?"

Wow, this is just stupid!
Don't they want the people visiting their country to at least know some korean? I think it's nothing special to expect people to at least know the basics even if they are not fluent. But like someone else already said, they came there with the intend to talk about a set topic so wouldn't it be the proper thing to learn the language beforehand (if they have the time) or just come with a translator.

I don't really see the problem with Dave because I am always getting angry as well when I see german people interviewing foreigners on tv. Maybe it wasn't the right tone but all in all it dosn't change that he was right about the facts.

[masturbia.livejournal.com]

Good for him for not backing down.
Koreans netizens are the most hypocritical people ever.
The moment someone criticizes Korea "it's on" but the moment a Korean makes a joke of not only himself but also plays on a general stereotype of Asians as a whole it's fucking hilarious. Bullshit! That's disrespecting Korea but reinforcing stupid stereotypes. They should be getting upset about that.

Go Dave for actually having a dick and not backing down to a bunch of no-life losers on the internet who seem to control everyone else in Korea.

Softhead

[elusiveclover.livejournal.com]

Asian discrimination does not trump Black, Hispanic or Latino discrimination.
There is no hierarchy of suffering. Just because stereotyping of Asians is still
in its overt stage while black racism is more covert and institutionalized doesn't
mean one is more important than the other, or that one is more significant than the other.

Sexism, racism, and homophobia are still very real challenges in American society.
Just because they rear their ugly heads in slightly different ways does not mean we
should diminish one to stand against the other.


He seems like the type of person who always has a chip on his shoulder and does nothing
but lash out at the cruel, unfair world. If he wants to promote progress, he should get
out and do something rather than bitch at Korean entertainment show.

He is upset that a television show does not reflect reality. Is the sky blue? Do dogs bark?
Television shows, the news, even reality shows are designed to entertain and exploit. The world’s a circus and we love to watch freaks. He needs to wear a helmet because he is clearly a softhead who cannot handle the real world.

Re: Softhead

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

THIS
I'm out of this post im getting heated--->