K-Pop Idol Sparks Outrage After Posting Photos Hugging With Nazi Uniform Mannequin
Source Music, the management firm of K-pop group Gfriend, issued an apology after group member Sowon posted photos of herself with a mannequin dressed in a Nazi uniform. The photos were taken during a music video shoot at a café in the city of Paju in South Korea in November, Source Music explained in a statement through Big Hit's fan app on Monday, Variety reported.
THANK YOU @GFRDofficial @SOURCEMUSIC FOR RELEASING AN APOLOGY. pic.twitter.com/klnvrqpme0
— cash is tired | 917K SALES (@gfriendtwiIight) February 1, 2021
Source Music claimed that an “outsourced production company” ran the November shoot, and the people involved “did not sense an issue with the mannequin’s outfit.” “We apologize for not being able to confirm in advance that there were inappropriate props on the shooting site, not being able to thoroughly inspect the content during the shooting and uploading process, and not paying close attention to historical facts and social issues,” Source Music wrote. Although the mannequin does not have a red Nazi swastika armband, it is dressed in the attire that German soldiers wore during World War II.
tw// nazism, nazi - - - i'm disappointed of s0won but i'm glad she deleted.. she needs to apologize tho.. nazis are not friends or someone you can hug or look so lovingly at, they are killers, they killed 6 million jews out of them 1.5 million jewish children /srs pic.twitter.com/9GmWT8I60W
— may 📌 (@KOOSDOLLZ) January 31, 2021
GFriend fans and social media users called Sowon out for her now-deleted post.
sowon messed up big and she definitely needs to apologise... but i think we also need explanations from soumu or whoever organized the cb show cause who tf thought it was a good idea to put that on set??? like wtf
— ❁ 💧 EvilQueenZ ❖ ⁴ˣ⁴ 回 ◺◊◿ ΘDD ΞYΞ (@EvilQueenZz) January 31, 2021
also i stan gfriend so don't say she's not my idol
— may 📌 (@KOOSDOLLZ) January 31, 2021
It doesn't matter if Sowon is in a museum. It doesn't matter if she didn't recognize the uniform.
The picture is insensitive and ignorant. Lack of hateful intent does not mean actions shouldn't have accountability. — kookadooks ◺◊◿ ⁷ (@bstpeach) January 31, 2021
Sowon has yet to address the issue personally to her 800,000+ followers on Instagram. However, Source Music claims she was “very shocked” and “immediately” deleted her post “when she understood the significance of the image.” “She is very pained and feels deep responsibility” for making the post, Source Music added. This is not the first time a K-pop star drew backlash for a similar incident. In 2018, BTS angered many of its fans after one of the group's members was spotted wearing a hat with the SS Death’s Head logo. Feature Image via @onedayxne (Left), @KOOSDOLLZ (Right)
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