#no outrage for idols who are literal scum of the earth

[paarksunghoon]

seunghan’s initial removal from RIIZE, his acceptance, and then second removal is so wildly unfathomable that I can’t really explain just how upset it makes me for kpop as an industry.

this article by jeff benjamin for billboard does a great job explaining the situation as a whole as well as commentary on fandom culture in Korea. the idea that parasocial practices must be upheld in order to pursue a career as an idol feels very manipulative and damaging, especially since it was during a time that seunghan wasn’t in the public eye.

The following quote sums it up the best: “Though tame by Western standards, the content went viral in South Korea, a country which has undergone rapid modernization but remains socially conservative — values that extend to the parasocial relationships fans have with South Korean music stars.”