Yoo Seung Jun talks about Jaebeom

[fuuism.livejournal.com]

Yoo Seung Jun (Steve Yoo) recently filmed a movie for a Jackie Chan movie titled “Little Big Soldier (aka Junior Soldiers)”, he spent some time off from his busy schedule in Hong Kong for a brief sit down interview.

Not many of you may be familiar with this man and only know him through our articles so here’s just a memory refresher: Yoo Seung Jun grew up in Los Angeles as a teenager and came to Korea in his late teens to become a singer. He was one of the top K-Pop singers in the 90’s and hit his peak in the late 90s with hits like Passion, Scissors, NaNaNa, I Will Be Back and more.

Things were going good until he hit the mandatory military controversy. Yoo Seung Jun was exiled from Korea when he acquired an American citizenship to avoid doing his mandatory military service. Previous to getting his American Citizenship, Yoo Seung Jun stated many times that he would fulfill his obligation and duty to serve as a Korean male in the military. There was much backlash after this and he was kicked out of the country as this move was seen as a betrayal and he was viewed as unpatriotic. There’s been much controversy about whether he was in the right or wrong and if he even deserved the punishment he got. Recently, people have been comparing this controversy to 2PM’s Jaebeom, but in the latter scenario he left on his own whim instead of being forced out.

Yoo Seung Jun got emotional when he talked about his deportation. He stated that he never really had time to properly explain himself. He hopes that one day Korea can forgive him but for the time being he isn’t expecting forgiveness.

Yoo Seung Jun also shared his thoughts on the Jaebeom situation stating, “My heart goes out to him. I wondered how he could continue on after such an incident. As a young man he made a mistake but if people make mistakes, if given the opportunity of a second chance, don’t you think he could grow and blossom into something much larger?”

If anyone knows how Jaebeom feels, it should be this guy. Hopefully it’s a better outcome for Jaebeom though, Yoo Seung Jun is a touchy subject but I wish him the best of luck and hopefully things will work out for him.

S: Newsen, AKP

Comments

[fatalblissy.livejournal.com]

This made me surprisingly sad, and honestly the whole Jaebum thing hasn't really. :/ I didn't cry or anything, and sure I might think "it'd be fun if jay was there", but that's it, haha. This made me a bit sad though.

[froggster.livejournal.com]

every time I hear about this guy I go 'awwww you poor thing'

this move was seen as a betrayal
You would think betrayal would be something like selling out you friends/allies or classified information.

but if people make mistakes, if given the opportunity of a second chance, don’t you think he could grow and blossom into something much larger?”
PREACH IT!

[beauty0fparting.livejournal.com]

You would think betrayal would be something like selling out you friends/allies or classified information.

ikr? the way they treat him... it's like he committed treason. i mean i don't see anything wrong in changing his citizen status. but then again, that might just be me.

[des-akazim.livejournal.com]

this guy's music is amazing. I don't really...feel anything about the 2pm case. this guy was misunderstood in a bit of a different way, in my opinion.

[kiki3291.livejournal.com]

You know, I've read some articles about his case but never read this part: "Yoo Seung Jun stated many times that he would fulfill his obligation and duty to serve as a Korean male in the military. So the articles leave this part out to make him look like a bad guy or something? A part of me thought he was in the wrong for what he did but I didn't think he intended to actually fulfill his obligation."

Forcing a man out of the country just for that? Do they do that to anyone or did they just use him as an example because of his status? It's really sad.

[orangeinsanity.livejournal.com]

I think they made a public example out of him really. I view this as a harsh punishment but Koreans think differently so idkkkkk

i can't tell if this is ot or not

[hospitalise.livejournal.com]

i'm so touchy re: jay stuff lately. idc about protests and comparative sales and poster campaigns and never tired of waiting anymore, i just want him back :(

Re: i can't tell if this is ot or not

[envoler.livejournal.com]

basically this ):

[bayergal.livejournal.com]

If anyone knows how Jaebeom feels, it should be this guy.

I...don't think that's true. That statement is saying a lot. Jaebeom left of his own will, and it happened during a bad/rough time. He did not 'run away' from obligations as a Korean citizen, etc etc he only said hurtful words. I feel their situations are totally different.
To be honest Yoo Seung Jun did a much worse act by avoiding something that he should be proud to do. Plus it's only 2 years not that bad buddy :/
I do think Korea over-reacted a little though.

But eh that's just my opinion and I do not know the full details of either incident to have a valid opinion :/

[myrobotvoice.livejournal.com]

i agree with you. you hit the nail on the head with the word obligation. no one looks forward to MANDATORY military service, but those who have been called upon, have done it. (i'm using changmin and boom as examples in my head)

i'm not korean, or male, so i won't ever have something like that happen to me, but ... have a little pride in your country?

[petitpoisbleu.livejournal.com]

Was Jay exiled or did he decide to leave Korea on its own ?
As I've not been 2PM's fan for a long time, I still don't know much about the case.

[tasheila.livejournal.com]

i like to think he decided to leave on his own but i've come to realize it isn't as clear cut as i'd like it to be.

that, or he decided to leave but there are other things blocking his return.

[sballet06.livejournal.com]

TBH I kinda wish this guy wouldn't have mentioned Jay.
Him saying something about isn't exactly a glowing commendation in Korea.

[poppytea.livejournal.com]

lol this.

[2cutelena.livejournal.com]

Damn Korea ya'll surely know how to let them go don't ya? He is foine. The buzzcut. The hands *has hands fetish* Them lips. The eyes. The everything. I want some more.

[cheese-daily.livejournal.com]

Amen.

[asth77.livejournal.com]

I found this on AKP
"I don’t think people are fully understanding how serious Yoo Seung Joon’s actions were to the Koreans. Mandatory military service is needed in S.Korea because it is still technically at war with North Korea. North Korea right now has thousands of missiles pointed at Seoul. North Korea most likely has 5 or 6 nuclear devices. North Korea has threatened war many times in the past decades. The North and South have recently had gun battles where soldiers have been shot and killed. (don’t people read the news around here???) Also, Korea was occupied by Japan mainly because it was unprepared militarily. To many Koreans, mandatory military service means the preservation of their country. Millions of Korean men went to the military and many of them didn’t want to go but they went anyways, placing their lives at risk. But YSJ ran away from these obligations. He wanted the benefits that Korea had to offer him without giving back anything. This is why what he did was so serious. I wish people would get some of the facts first before blindly expressing their opinions."

well.. At least... I understand... A bit. Oo There are SO MANY misunderstandings for International netizens about Korea and Koreans! At least, it builds a stereotype of Korea and Koreans =(. Even for korean fans, poeple have some difficulties to understand them because ofthe difference of culture (I'm not talking about the crazy fangirls, tehy exist everywhere)

my country really hasn't the same state of mind, our military service is during one day x).

[turdferguson.livejournal.com]

oh okay, that certainly puts things in perspective. i could see why people felt betrayed. if i was a korean citizen i probably would've been a little upset too with this guy.

[29septembre.livejournal.com]

He is really hot, an dhe says something good ♥

[jia-zhang.livejournal.com]

I dunno how much of a right I have to discuss this, because I'm not Korean.

But I do think Jay's situation and Yoo Seung Jun's do share a lot of similarities. Although they are out of Korea for different reason, both were essentially forced out--one literally, Jay's was definitely more subtle, and I doubt he would have left if he hadn't been forced to by crazy netizen remarks. But I think Jay's is far less controversial and problematic, and does allow for his return. Jay's isn't a national issue, but more of a mistake of words in the past that people will forget in due time. I mean, artists have come back from worse--like Ivy with her sex scandal, and the various comedians and MCs and their problems with the law.

But Yoo Seung Jun's is way more troublesome because it does deal with national security and pride and issues of war, which Korea is still very mindful of because they ARE in a war. I think for Koreans, they find their behaviour cowardly because military service is very normal to them. But I'm sure a lot of men have been forced to go not because they want to, but because they are obligated, and it is difficult, and I think people should be more open-minded towards him.

The military is NOT for most people; you can't cast everyone into the same mold, because people are different. Even in times of war. Because, sometimes, it's people like these that will crack under pressure and cause the most problems. Some people are suited for things like this, and some people are not, and people should be a little more empathetic. You have to walk a mile in another man's shoes before you know how he really is.

[pink-writer.livejournal.com]

The military is NOT for most people

THIS so fcking much. I remember I had to do a discussion about this two years ago and it just made me so sad.

[kittycurious.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering how getting an American citizenship would keep him from serving in Korea's military.
Is Korea like Japan where you can only have one citizenship? Or if you have more than just your Korean citizenship can you not serve in Korea's military?

[allisnotlost.livejournal.com]

im curious about this too. the article also mentions that he grew up in LA... maybe he didnt feel the same about his duties as koreans who have lived in korea most/all their lives (not implying that this is a good excuse to skip service or anything, but it might explain his actions). i mean, how many korean-americans born into u.s. citizenship do we see lining up to serve?

[decodexx.livejournal.com]

His story is sad, but nothing comparable to the 2PM situation.

[charsomnia.livejournal.com]

Being hated by his entire country is nothing compared to 2PM's situation? How so?

[honeebs.livejournal.com]

It still stings for ya'll- take a moment.
I don't know him or his past....
So let get this right, he came had MAD success happy with status then changed when crunch time came. *shrugs ummm kinda shady, imo
So was he trying to get this citizenship full american when he was younger or just when his age started to climb?
IF a man talks the talk he should walk the walk.. that's probably what hurt Korea the most.

[sirenasfun.livejournal.com]

Yoo Seung Jun stated many times that he would fulfill his obligation and duty to serve as a Korean male in the military

In my opinion, keeping your promises is very important. That's just how I was raised.
If he said he was going to do it, he should have done it. If he never planned on doing it anyway, why did he say he was going to do it?

[aphoriste.livejournal.com]

Previous to getting his American Citizenship, Yoo Seung Jun stated many times that he would fulfill his obligation and duty to serve as a Korean male in the military.

i'm not sure how to interpret this. my first reaction was that he had gone back on his word, but it seems like others are interpreting it a different way? like he had said he would but as soon as he got his american citizenship, he was exiled without being able to provide an explanation for his actions – that despite his new status, he'd do his time in military?

or does getting an american citizenship prior to your service automatically disqualify you from participating in your military duties, and that's why people got angry?

it's hard to say from this article because i'm not sure what angle the author was trying to play.

[ethereal-limbo.livejournal.com]

No, that sentence meant that he stated several times he was going to serve on national tv, yet despite that he lied and "fleed". That's what made Korea butthurt the most.

[tribuo-venerati.livejournal.com]

I remember him!! I saw him at an event in LA once and he was very very sweet. I have a family friend that went to school with him here (I think it was high school?)

Anyways, I understand why the Korean citizens are upset, but I still give him the benefit of the doubt.

[tribuo-venerati.livejournal.com]

Do most people commenting in this page even remember him?

Anyways I remember when this whole thing happened, and I thought the backlash was much more severe than it should've been. I can understand why Koreans were upset with him, but I'm pretty sure the media and the government used him as an "example" to others. Maybe the criticism was justified to a certain extent, but he was exiled. I guess I'm biased because I'm Korean American, but I feel that since he was basically raised here in the U.S., he probably feels more affinity to the U.S. I don't think none of us really knows the full extent of the situation, so we shouldn't really judge.

By the way, many Korean guys that I know would do ANYTHING they can to get out of mandatory military service, but they don't have a choice. One guy even told me he wished he would get in a car accident so he could get out of service; that's how desperate he was. So I think it's hypocritical for the citizens to have made such a huge fuss over this issue when secretly many of them would've done the same if they could've.

[treat.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry....from a concerned point of view, he should not have said anything. Since he's in a worse and almost unforgivable position, netizens say he has "no right" to say anything to alleviate Jay's situation. =_= I mean, of course he means well, but the average netizen will now link the betrayal to the extent of Yoo Seung Joon's =___= I wish this wasn't the case but the forum I lurk was really pissed that any relation between the two was made at all.

And sorry, most all the guys I know go the army. It's like a rite of passage. Yeah, it SUCKS but all the guys do in Korea...and the politicians who withdraw their sons get shit thrown at them.

[ethereal-limbo.livejournal.com]

Women should be forced to do mandatory service too. D: Equal rights and all, rite~

[missatira.livejournal.com]

yoo seung jun was SO HUGE in korea. it sucks that his career completely tanked after the military thing

[extraenchanted.livejournal.com]

Hmm I remember Brian Joo. He chose to be a US citizen and for a while there were netizens bashing him because he didn't choose to serve in the military as a Korean citizen. But thing is, he was born and raised in the US, and IMHO it was natural for him to choose being a US citizen. It's not about not wanting to serve in the military. It's just that maybe he felt more American than Korean because he was born there and grew up there.

But with this guy, he allegedly promised to fulfill his military duties and then he chose to be a US citizen, so he was forced to leave. So that's a little different.

[d-magix.livejournal.com]

Korea is so fucked up.

[bubbliciouz.livejournal.com]

"but if people make mistakes, if given the opportunity of a second chance, don’t you think he could grow and blossom into something much larger?”

SO TRUE!