G-Dragon "Summoned by the Prosecution", No Freedom of Expression for Musicians?

[vvvanilla.livejournal.com]

There are many controversies over G-Dragon's performance that was marked as an offense for an immoral performance and also said that it infringed the youth protection laws. We have to recognize that the core of this controversy is the freedom of a creator and that we cannot overlook the freedom of the audience who has the right to enjoy a creator's expressions and results.

This controversy this time is very ambiguous. What is the standard for obscenity? Is it when someone feels sexually harassed or is it when someone thinks that it is simply too erotic? But it’s not like the police could just pick a random person that was at G-Dragon’s concert and ask "Was that too obscene for you?"

There is no set standard for something that is erotic or for something that is obscene and this controversy is equivocal. Also, performers were not naked that made the audience feel like they were watching an 18A performance. Then was the performance obscene because it was about sex? Our society that corners sex as obscene is more abnormal.

Saying that there is a problem with a performance that makes one think about sex is a problem itself since that could mean sex=immoral. Well it’s a whole different problem if G-Dragon's performance was too explicit; however, his performance was short and people had various opinions about it.

The start of this controversy and tragedy was the opinion differences between the audience and the public that was saying G-Dragon's performance was immoral. This eventually led more than 1000 of the audiences that were at G-dragon's concert to turn in a petition to the prosecution.

These people turned in a petition saying "For the obscene performance crime the audience has to agree with the fact that the performance was obscene and over the line; however, G-Dragon's concert was not obscene at all and it did not sexually harass us in any way." Also, these people said the performance as a whole cannot be judged by the short moment.

The more important thing is the freedom of creation. A society that threatens the freedom of creation for musicians makes a society where there is no cultural variety. If G-Dragon's two-hour-long concert is valid as obscenity because of the momentary performance during it, then this is invading the freedom and the rights of a creator.

Translator's note: Popular Culture Critic Tak Hyunmin states a short comment about G-Dragon's performance controversy. If the government and the country lets culture off the leash then then the culture does well on its own or either dies off on its own. G-Dragon's performance controversy is a very symbolic happening; I cannot tolerate the prosecution investing a performance. They do not have even the basic manners for the arts. A performance is the arts of the spot and you cannot judge it by a recording of it. by Beau @ bbvip (thanks gooddaymoderato )

Original Article by Kim Jihyun @ TV Daily
Translated by Beau @ bbvipz
Edited by big bang=love @ bbvip
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THE CREDIT LINES

Comments

[srsbsns.livejournal.com]

Everything is too ambiguous.

[desperategraves.livejournal.com]

damn.

[-ochre.livejournal.com]

gotdamnit.

Anyway this article is surprising me. An opinion piece that doesn't suck or require the opinion of netizens? :O

[xcherryblossomx.livejournal.com]

IKR? I'm getting used to read korean articles quoting/based on netizen's opinions

[love-flag.livejournal.com]

i like what the author has to say even though im too intellectually dumb to understand most of it but hey.. i get the gist

[nemo-88.livejournal.com]

Then was the performance obscene because it was about sex? Our society that corners sex as obscene is more abnormal.

I like this Kim Jihyun guy. :)

[eina9.livejournal.com]

Well written, Kim Jihyun.

Then was the performance obscene because it was about sex? Our society that corners sex as obscene is more abnormal.

The more important thing is the freedom of creation. A society that threatens the freedom of creation for musicians makes a society where there is no cultural variety.

I hope Kim Jihyun's line of reasoning is a glimmer of something larger to come, perhaps a more socially liberal Korean culture. It has to start somewhere, right? (and I could see how the DBSK/Hangeng and Jay issues would support this)

[hallerness.livejournal.com]

What is the standard for obscenity?
A+ for this question alone.

[tees2mai.livejournal.com]

I like the article, it was neutral which is rare in kpop

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Allkpop should ask this guy for lessons.

[niara-honey.livejournal.com]

whoa i had to double read this.
been a while since an article like this been posted.

[nimco.livejournal.com]

I like this

[jishcreator.livejournal.com]

Like I said on the other post:
FUCKING FINALLY. ♥
I'm meeting this person, and fucking marrying them.
~

[histericamal.livejournal.com]

I Like this article too! Finally I read something with sense!
I mean..It was just a show!He has right to do whatever he wanted to do in his concert!!
btw..It's his first solo concert and they're making impossible to GD enjoy It at all! FATS Korea gay

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

they are making it impossible for GD to be GD.
why the headhunting? IDNK

[audiobebop.livejournal.com]

A society that threatens the freedom of creation for musicians makes a society where there is no cultural variety. If G-Dragon's two-hour-long concert is valid as obscenity because of the momentary performance during it, then this is invading the freedom and the rights of a creator.

Making waves. I like it. Keep thinking Korea.

[tees2mai.livejournal.com]

your icon ♥

[extraenchanted.livejournal.com]

good article, short and concise.

and i like the points raised, namely the definition of obscenity and freedom of expression.

[histericamal.livejournal.com]

so 4 the first time...
(http://es.tinypic.com)

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

Kim Jihyun; I am a fan over yours, dear sir.

[crystalheng.livejournal.com]

If GD gets through this, I think it would help to break the limitations of the Korean music industry. I don't have a good grasp of vocabulary to describe... but if he gets through this successfully, it could knock some sense into netizens or whoever objects and open their narrow minds. This way, more artistes who are afraid of breaking the limitations because of the people's narrow-minded views will feel more inclined to challenging themselves in music, performances and whatnot.

Idk whether I make sense but that's what I think :)

[hallerness.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of the same thing. This issue may pave the way for a more liberal music industry.

BABY STEPS.

[unsospiro.livejournal.com]

[turdferguson.livejournal.com]

I think as long as someone keeps pushing certain boundaries (not all boundaries should be crossed, after all) in their country the more they have to learn to adjust to things. So in a way, good ol' G-dragon has to put up with this so that Korea can take a look at themselves every once in awhile and figure out what should be adjusted and whatnot.

[hallerness.livejournal.com]

G-Dragon is at the forefront of the revolution. He may be getting flak for a lot of things he's done, but I imagine a future where Korean artists would be grateful to how GD changed the scenario.

[sonicphotonic.livejournal.com]

this sfm

[the-crazy-cat.livejournal.com]

What is the standard for obscenity?

I don't know about standard, but I think the most obscene things in K-entertainment is when minors in skimpy outfit dance erotically in front of bunch of horny ajusshis. Or in front of anyone at all at that.

From the very short 1,5 years I've been following K-music, I see that eroticism is a very dominant and prominent part of it. I think Korean teenagers has already been exposed of far worse obscenities than what GD performed on his concert.

[spunspider.livejournal.com]

Preach.

[julietbunny.livejournal.com]

This article makes a great point (and I'm happy to hear the petition is going so well, even if it can only be a gesture). I'm amazed at how many people criticizing the concert haven't even watched any footage of the scenes in question. I can name plenty of Korean MVs of the top of my head that are very violent and/or sexual that haven't been regulated to nighttime airing, so where is the line?

[lovelyable.livejournal.com]

You basically took my comment. :)

[smashboardcrunk.livejournal.com]

WOOOhoooTS I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS ARTICLE
like ALOTALOTALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our society that corners sex as obscene is more abnormal.
BUAHAHAHAHA
soo true

anyway its not like he killed some one or he injured some one
and its not like those 12 or 1oyearolds and under are not goin to do sexx in the phuture???
ISNT IT ALWAYS BETTER TO EDUCATE AT A YOUNGER AGE??
not like there is anything sexual that i see in his concert
jus compare it to maybeh like USHERS CONCERT
he asked his FAN his AUDIENCE to dance with him and she practicallyy orgasmed on stage

I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF KOREAS GOVERNMENT CAME ACROSS VIDEOS OF USHERS CONCERT