ALi: “I’m a Rape Victim, Too”

[ayamefan13.livejournal.com]

In a shocking revelation, ALi revealed her past as a rape victim. The female singer held a press conference today to address the recent controversy surrounding her latest single, “Nayoungee.” She’s been under fire for writing a song based on a real-life rape victim “Nayoung” that was later dubbed as “The Nayoung Case,” and for naming the song after the actual victim.

“I was raped in June of 2008 by a younger colleague from an organization I was a part of. It was devastating and extremely painful. I got hit so hard in the face that I broke my cheekbones and had to be hospitalized for four weeks. Everything happened while I was unconscious in the cab,” ALi said with tears in her eyes.

“That person got arrested and was sentenced to two years in prison, four years on probation, and 200 hours of community work. But he wasn’t charged of injuring a person because of lack of evidence. The civil suit is still going on,” she added.

Since the release of “Nayoungee” earlier this week, ALi has faced mounting criticism for the song’s lyrics and title. “Nayoungee” is the name of the eight-year old girl that got raped by a man named Cho Doo Soon in the bathroom of a church in 2008. She said she wrote the song to give hope and comfort to the victim, and to raise awareness for preventive measures. But netizens and several celebrities criticized her for raising the issue again when the victim’s still suffering from pain. ALi and her agency later announced they would delete the song from her album.

For those who are curious, here are the lyrics to the entire song:

The sound of the light and wind, falling from the sky
It rides the leaves and it rides the snowstorm

The deep sounds of the ocean from the ends of the earth
It shines on the sun, it shines on the sky

It's hard even to be alive and to breath
So she waits for the sun to set
She doesn't try to run away anymore
She stands there and waits for the moon to rise

The gray light that seeps out of a young girl's wet eyes
You threw away your youth, selling your body, selling your soul
Your pitiful life has been taken away from you

In this dizzy world, when you hope for a warm and brilliant love
Can you feel - can you feel it?
In the soiled heart, when you want a true and pure love
Can you do that - can you do that?

Looking here and there but you still can't believe in this world
Even if the world flows by so quickly, even if time leaves us
Trust your mind, trust your mind

source; soompi

Comments

[unreal.livejournal.com]

This should have come out earlier because I wouldn't be suprised if this doesn't sit well neither :/ Like people thinking she's using this as an excuse etc :/

I know I'm a pessimist

[metafictionally]

I do hope you understand why she wouldn't want to bring it up, though.

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

"That person got arrested and was sentenced to two years in prison, four years on probation, and 200 hours of community work."

What the actual fuck, what is that sentence?
It has to be a joke... seriously 2 years.

Fucking netizens too.

[kimishim.livejournal.com]

I was thinking that too, wtf...

[nobodyelse-care.livejournal.com]

This may sound like an excuse but I really hope people can find the heart to forgive her...

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

There is nothing to forgive imo.
Singer, writers, film maker have to deal with such suject all the time.
The lyrics are not insulting nor gross.
It's actually full of hope.
aybe the title was wrongly chosen because it's very sensitive but she shouldn't delete the songs.

[metafictionally]

This beautiful strong incredible woman :( I hope her civil suit ends in her favor... and I hope that some understanding can come out of the fact that she had the strength to publicly talk about what was done to her. That's hard to do anywhere, but especially in cultures where rape is seen as the woman's flaw rather than a crime committed against them...

Aiyoo :(

[saintalecto.livejournal.com]

Such bullshit. Got to love rape culture!

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

This.
How come she has to feel guilty for being the victim?
Bullshit.

[nobodyelse-care.livejournal.com]

http://twitter.com/#!/Bluishviolet

For anyone who wanted to say something to her...

[ori0n.livejournal.com]

Going to follow her right now. Ty!

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

Uhm, this has to be one of the few times I do agree with the netizens' criticism. I can understand her reasons, but I also understand why it didn't sit well with some people. Personally, I wouldn't like to see a song made out of something like this if it had happened to me or anyone close to me, tbh. It's too personal.

On a side note, that sentence is ridiculous. I don't understand rapes sentences and will never do it. It feels like they keep ignoring, or lessening the importance of those crimes and the victims' pain to me.

[laeryn.livejournal.com]

But, tbh - she should have just given it another title. The song is perfectly ok :/

And I totally admire her for talking about this, btw. Comes to show she's an amazing and strong woman for having the courage to make it public.

[localised.livejournal.com]

I think that minus lines 2-3 in the fourth verse (which, yeesh, definitely reek of victim-blaming although I'm sure she didn't intend them to) the lyrics are beautiful and inspiring, and I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing sensitive topics in song lyrics. Using Na Young's name wasn't the wisest move though and unfortunately I'm sure plenty of people will think she's using her personal rape story to deflect negative media attention, etc.

But it's awful what happened to ALi, and Na Young too. :( I just wonder/worry about how Na Young herself feels about the entire situation.

[metafictionally]

IA about those two lines, but I wonder if she meant them the way they sound in translation, or if she was referring to feeling like it's your fault, feeling like your life has been taken away from you, etc?

[kiku-cha8-8.livejournal.com]

I remember reading about the Nayoung case a few years back when it happened, but I rereaad an article about it just now and what happened is absolutely horrifying, what happened to her and how the perpetrator was punished. I can understand why netizens are upset about the song name.

The song is quite beautiful and Ali is talented.

[bolingi-aii.livejournal.com]

I love how people are so worked up over the title, that they don't even reflect on the message the song is sending. There are so many Nayoungs in this world, many more that don't have their story told. ALi was/is one of them. This song sends a powerful message about encouragement and self belief.

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

But that would mean netizens would have to thin rather than just react. SMH.

[prlsb4swiine.livejournal.com]

this is so heartbreaking, my heart goes out to her and nayoung as well. :'(

and tbh, I think the only distasteful/tactless thing about this is the song name. If nayoung's family was not consulted/asked beforehand then that's not really acceptable. If only she could just change the name...

[metafictionally]

That's what I wish, too, since the song has a really powerful and important message that I think people need to hear... still, I somehow doubt, since all this has sprung up, that it'll be as easy as just changing the name. Now the association is in everyone's minds. :(

[yukahoo.livejournal.com]

This is so all-around awful. I read on akp that 'Nayoung' and family were offended and that definitely is unfortunate. I'm sure that's the last thing that ALi would have wanted. But at the same time it rips at my soul that she is having to repeatedly apologize for writing this song. But apologize she has. She wants the Korean public to forgive her and I truly hope they do, post haste.

[localised.livejournal.com]

I read on akp that 'Nayoung' and family were offended and that definitely is unfortunate.

That really is unfortunate, and what I was worried about :( But I can understand given that a) the family and victim were likely not consulted first b) everyone reacts differently to situations like these c) the Asian attitude toward rape/sexual harassment (from what I can see, being Asian/having lived in various parts of Asia) is to sweep such "scandals" under the rug and act like they're a non-issue. Not that America (or most countries in the world, for that matter) is much better, of course. Victim blaming and insufficient attention/weight directed towards sex crimes is a global problem.

[kiminikaeru.livejournal.com]

she is so strong, i truely admire her.

[nickynisa.livejournal.com]

feel bad for ali and nayoung.. it must be really hard for them.. let's support them..

[pivotandsway.livejournal.com]

This story is all around sad. It's so shitty that she had to tell people about this horrible thing that happened to her but it would have been simple to give the song a different title, especially since the message is important. I hope she finds justice for what happened to her even though it sounds unlikely :[ and I hope this whole event doesn't have a lasting negative impact on ALi or the little girl and this can be resolved peacefully between them. She obviously had good intentions but this is such a delicate matter, they should have made a different choice. She seems sincere so I hope the public forgives her as well.

[qrizta.livejournal.com]

It's upsetting that the public criticized her so much til the company decided to delete the song. She wasn't mocking anyone in the lyrics. It was written to raise the awareness. Ugh. Korean mainstream music scene should deal with the fact that not everything is rainbows and unicorns.

[qrizta.livejournal.com]

It must have been really painful for her to bring up her horrible experience. :c I hope that she finds justice for what happened to her.

[youlittle.livejournal.com]

praying that she wins her case and for that man to get a longer sentence. it's unfortunate that 'nayoungee' is receiving all this criticism because it's such a nice song. i hope everything turns out okay.

[milkshake.livejournal.com]

This is ridiculous.
Korea needs to decide if singers are artist or just mere puppets.
If they're artists, they should be able to express whatever feelings they want and not just songs about partying in the club or love songs.

[asth77.livejournal.com]

...
and I think your way of wording things is insensitive and that there are probably much more complicated feelings behind her use of the young girl's name, like an identification to the pain the young girl has suffered from, since she has been a victim of rape as well.
So no, you can't separate insensitively the two cases like that.

[valieleen.livejournal.com]

I do think that it would've been better to pick a different title. But I was wondering if "Nayoung" is the victim's real name or if it's just a pseudonym?

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

If I remember it correctly, it's the victim's real name.

[honeyfunnybunny.livejournal.com]

She's so strong, I admire her for being able to talk about it and reveal such a big part of herself that she might not really want to talk about, to explain why she wrote such a song to the netizens.

There are some lines I'm side-eying, and the title, cause I followed Nayoung's case quite closely and remember every single detail - and reading somewhere that her family and Nayoung were offended by it isn't really what the song was meant to do. I admire her for wanting to write a song to inspire people who have been through the same situation, and something that is actually so controversial ... but just.. but some of the lyrics are really not so comforting tbqh :l

[shikinluv.livejournal.com]

Her strength is admirable. I cannot even imagine her pain and the injustice of the rapist's sentence.

The way she was basically forced into revealing this to the public because of the criticism she received is not. You have no heart and I hope you feel guilty as hell.

Korea, music is not all about oppars, aegyo and love. Artists should be able to express themselves without being vilified to this extent. She had good intentions. It's ridiculous to see this happening.

[orenji13.livejournal.com]

She is a strong woman.. And I am taking back my words about her not understanding Nayoung position..

[kim-jaejoong.livejournal.com]

only 2 years in prison? TWO FUCKING YEARS?!!! ARE YOU FUCKING ME?!!! ARE YOU FUCKING ME?!!

[fallingstarryuu.livejournal.com]

he didn't even get the sentence, got fucking let off

[hugtimes.livejournal.com]

"That person got arrested and was sentenced to two years in prison, four years on probation, and 200 hours of community work."

That is fucking stupid. I mean what the actual fuck?