I usually just lurk here, but after reading what Junhan said in that Bubble Q&A, I couldn’t stay quiet.
Basically, he was answering a fan question about research topics, and he started talking about how different races supposedly have different “genetic strengths.” He said something like, “Black people have more ear cells so they’re better at music,” and went on to say things about white people being good at breaking down sugar, and Asians and Indians having “skilled brains.” Then he wondered if we could combine those “advantages.”
I genuinely couldn’t believe what I was reading.
I know some people are saying it was just curiosity or that he didn’t mean harm, but that’s exactly the issue. This kind of mindset — that people are biologically wired to be better at certain things just because of their race — is not harmless. It’s the same thinking that has been used for centuries to justify racism and inequality. Whether it’s said with good intentions or not, it still reinforces harmful stereotypes.
Reading it just made me feel… uncomfortable and sad. I’ve spent years unlearning this kind of stuff. And seeing someone young, in 2025, with a global audience, casually saying this felt like a punch to the gut. You’d expect someone in his position to have at least some awareness of how wrong that is.
I’m not trying to attack him, but this needs to be called out. Saying things like “Black people are naturally good at music” or “Asians are smarter” might sound like compliments, but they’re not. They reduce people to their race. They erase individuality. And they carry so much baggage, whether people realize it or not.
What bothers me even more is how quiet everything has been. No real apology, no acknowledgment of how messed up that statement was. Just a vague explanation. That’s not enough.
If idols are going to have global platforms, then companies need to educate them properly. Not just on how to avoid scandals, but on why these kinds of ideas are so harmful in the first place.
I really hope Junhan takes the time to understand why what he said was wrong, and that this doesn’t just get swept under the rug. Because this shouldn’t be something fans just excuse and move on from.
We all deserve better than that.
submitted by /u/Seesawey
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