SBS 'Star King' Production Team Apologizes for Misrepresenting Muslims on Latest Episode

[bumie.livejournal.com]

The production team of SBS’s Star King released an official apology for the controversy they caused over misrepresenting Muslims during their August 13^th broadcast.
On August 19^th, the team release a statement titled “We apologize for our description about the Muslim culture“, which was uploaded onto the show’s official website. It has translated into English and Arabic.
In the statement stated, “August 13^th’s broadcast
featured a segment called ‘18 year old girl from Saudi Arabia, Ruby’s
dream’. While introducing the guest, some content could’ve been viewed
as if we were belittling Saudi Arabian religion and traditions. We
sincerely apologize.”
They also added, “We only wished to emphasize the guest’s desire
for singing and did not have any intentions to belittle the Muslim
culture. We will take extreme caution  from now on so that we don’t
bring any further misunderstandings over our depictions and
interpretations of different religions and cultures featured in our
program..”
In the said segment, it aired footage of a man dressed as an Arab threatening MC Kang Ho Dong
while holding a rifle. The international viewers of the show have
expressed their concern on SBS Twitter and YouTube channel regarding on
this.
They also have stopped providing replay service of August 13^th broadcast online and cable channel until they finish editing.


[UPDATE] Mighty Mouth's Shorry J released a statement through his twitter. "A thousand apologies for my behavior on starking show." "I didn't mean that Arabians are terrorists. Please don't get me wrong." "I'm not racist and I have no prejudice feelings against the Arabian culture. Sorry for my disrespectful behavior once again." As he played a scripted role, Shorry J does not want to communicate wrong messages to Star King viewers.

Source : @SBSNOW + @soddong01

as a muslim from Saudi Arabia i'm glad they apologized   and i'm surprised I read this apology in arabic news first , they are improving and i hope they will learn.
so korea we are cool and like nothing happened your tea is so ready.

Comments

[luvey.livejournal.com]

finally they are starting to get it!
they have international fans, who watch the shows. Korea isn't just a country hiding out in the corner of a map in it's own little space anymore.

if you want Hallyu, expect these things, and respect/learn that other cultures are out there that are different and you risk offending.

after the Shindong/Oprah incident (which went unmentioned w/o apology cause only a handful of people understood the issues behind it), i didn't think they would get the ramifications of Hallyu....but i'm glad to see i'm wrong and they are starting to understand.

[dalpaengi.livejournal.com]

I never even heard about the shindong/oprah and I attempted to google it...what happened? if you don't mind going there or linking me please.

[831panda831.livejournal.com]

We'll thats good they apologized , I hope they really understand this and stop with the stereotypes of all cultures tho

*pours tea into tiny glass cup*

[asuka-roses.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad they apologized, it's good to know that they listen to the fans and that they learned their lesson.

[asuka-roses.livejournal.com]

Also, Starking needs to change their writers.

[oonalala.livejournal.com]

It would be better if it hadn't happened in the first place, but I'm glad they apologized so quickly and appropriately.

[ninyafreak.livejournal.com]

I hope this will be a lesson for them :|

[zeldas.livejournal.com]

Eh, it still… stinks. It insulted us all, Saudi aside. Kudos for not ignoring the issue and apologising, I guess. And for an Arabic version (though I have yet to read it) of it.

I just hope this will cause them to be more cautious in the future, not just with Islam. I just don't see it happening anytime soon, sadly :/

[stillwaiting.livejournal.com]

I was really offended when I heard about this. As a Muslim, this is not something I want to see from the shows I enjoy watching.

Even though this could have been avoided and not be done in the first place, at least they apologized. Let's just hope they learned their lesson.

[xalexandriam.livejournal.com]

I'll wait until k-varieties stop doing blackface before I believe that they've really learned their lesson regarding how other cultures are represented.

But good job, Star King for apologizing.

[luvey.livejournal.com]

One can only hope...unfortunately, do due so many people not really "understanding" WHY blackface was offensive (even here in omona) it may be awhile. BUT it is a step in the right direction.

[tees2mai.livejournal.com]

I'm glad they apologized.

[redgreendress.livejournal.com]

Yep, pretty much this. Nobody ever owns up to anything *sighs* I still don't understand how this could've aired in the first place. Producers, editors, none of them noticed how incredibly offensive it was?

Well, at least they apologized.

[whatdesuyo.livejournal.com]

wasnt this posted before?

i'm still miffed that they said "could've" in their apology, but at least they did something about this.

and yeah, you make me want shai latte right now.

[bumie.livejournal.com]

haha i'm drinking it right now , that apology was different this is a new one.

[plantbottle.livejournal.com]

Well, its good that they apologized. Although, it wasn't that it could've been viewed as belittling, it was belittling.

Writers need to realize that SK isn't just some isolated country anymore - there are tons of international fans watching their stuff.

[kawaiiairbender.livejournal.com]

i'm still in shock they apologized tbh

i'm glad they did though, but 'could've'? Ummm no that was blatent. :/

that said i'm not holding my breath on respecting other cultures bit.

[mya13.livejournal.com]

Glad they apologized, but still not fully satisfied with the way they worded their apology.

Plus that whole skit was just plain wrong and disgusting, not just the part where shorry J came in, all of it, from when that girl threw off her hijab.

But at least they did apologize i didn't even expect that they would. i don't think they should even bother editing it, just take the whole thing out.

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

It was a complete mockery of the entire religion and culture. And for the girl, having lived a Muslim culture how could she even think that was ok? Doesnt she have a conscience?

[brianathebard.livejournal.com]

lol op you're cute <3

[bumie.livejournal.com]

haha , thank you

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

Where is Ruby's apology? She's the worst offender in my eyes, because she was being willfully ignorant. She should know better and I'm sure she does, yet she still agreed to participate in this skit.

[obeytheempress.livejournal.com]

who is ruby?

[mya13.livejournal.com]

Agreed. oh well, this is korea.

[cake.livejournal.com]

ehh better than nothing, I just hope they stay true to their words.

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

why do we have to accept this fluff as an apology?

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

why are people so willing to accept this "apology", they didn't even apologize for their wrongdoing.

[earthequality.livejournal.com]

Excuse me, could? This is a sad apology. We didn't misinterpret anything, you portrayed an entire culture wrongly. They really didn't learn how much they hurt people. Sigh

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

Thank! I feel like I'm getting shit for trying to figure out why people are willing to accept this "apology". Sigh, maybe I just come off too strong :c

They don't, this statement proves that they feel like they've done nothing wrong. Welp, Im making a video too next time because that seems to be the only way to get a response.

[annhh.livejournal.com]

Well lol at their apology. BUT. Damn right they should apologize. Even if it isn't done whole-heartedly. Very political yes but the fact that they address the issue is necessary.

Also, some people seem to think they don't report these in Korean media. It gets reported (maybe not as strongly as we do...^^) so it's not ok there either

/I don't know how Shindong's case went but in Kikwang-black-face case it was reported, so it's not like the country is full of airheads who have no clue. The weight of the problem just isn't there yet (duh)

[jela-ow.livejournal.com]

some content could’ve been viewed as if we were belittling Saudi Arabian religion and traditions.

I'm glad they apologized but it's hard to accept this apology when they use "could've" when the segment blatantly showed racial stereotypes and disrespect.

[aj-123.livejournal.com]

"some content could’ve been viewed
as if we were belittling"

Could've????? as in Possibly??? Ummmm no boo boo it was belittling them try harder next time. This lets me know that they still dont get it smh. Im still sitting here trying to figure out how singing is connected to that sort of skit in the first place.

Also is anyone bothered by the fact that the girl went through with the skit in the first place especially since she has been to Saudi Arabia???

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

If Star King would release a real apology instead of this BS (like almost every other apology when it comes to this stuff) everyone would be over it.

And Ruby need to apologize too because she willingly did all that.

I'm just happy Shorry J apologized even though he didn't really have to (since it wasn't really his choice), I think it shows good character (or common sense). It wasn't a BS apology like it seems everyone else' is, KPOP is starting to piss me off.