1.Beware of the election seasons
Politics is a sensitive issue everywhere around the world, and this holds very true in Korea. Stars are often seen endorsing particular individuals during elections in the United States and elsewhere in the Western world But the political silence kept in Korean entertainment is on a different level, especially for K-pop. Not only do stars not speak about politics, they even refrain from wearing or doing anything that could even remotely be interpreted as political.
2.Know your history or keep quiet
Another very sensitive topic for stars to watch out for is history, especially modern and contemporary history, due to Korea’s past of colonization by Imperial Japan and two decades of military dictatorship.
3.Don’t go to Japan on important national holidays
As a continuation of the history taboo, any topic related to Japan can be risky, especially depending on the date. The general rule of thumb is: Don’t do or say anything positive about Japan on March 1, June 6, or Aug. 15.
March 1 is the day that a nationwide protest organized by students took place in 1919. June 6 is Memorial Day, honoring all patriots who died serving the country, and Aug. 15 is the day that Korea was liberated from Imperial Japan in 1945.
Any sign of friendliness toward Japan on those days can make a star seem pro-Japan, even if it’s nothing political.
4.Don’t be a feminist
In Korea, the word “feminist” is more than just a simple description of one’s sociopolitical stance. Being dubbed a feminist is a scarlet letter that can have detrimental effects on a celebrity, especially for those whose fandom largely consists of young men.
5.Don’t date anyone, at least until the fifth year
And of course, the biggest taboo of all for idols: dating.
A major part of K-pop fans’ affection toward their stars constitutes what’s referred to as yusa yeonae in Korean, which means “pseudo-romance,” as well as friendship or a sense of parental love where fans feel like they’re “nurturing” the group and its members. This means that when an idol starts dating someone, fans with a strong sense of yusa yeonae feel like they’ve been betrayed.
That’s why Karina of girl group aespa had to write a letter of apology to fans after she was caught dating actor Lee Jae-wook earlier this year. The aespa member uploaded the letter on her Instagram account a week after news first broke of her new love life, starting with, “I’m sorry to have startled you.”
submitted by /u/jumpybouncinglad
[link] [comments]
