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South Korea's first black model faces widespread racism

The cultural dissonance to have your entire pop-culture built around shit you stole from black street culture and music (much like the rest of east Asia) and yet be revolted by the very idea of a black person being equal to you.

East Asian racism is a special brand of dehumanizing.

It's no different with White supremacists/racists and Rock and Roll and Country music.
 

vordhosbn

Banned
There are negative stereotypes of white people in East Asia too. From what I recall from second hand accounts, there's a pervasive belief that white people have long noses, loose morals and are overly aggressive.

Of course that's not to say that they may not dislike black people even more. They could see white people as a lower class of human, and black people as not human at all.

Honestly, you don't sound like you know much about East Asia and treatment of races there. I said everybody experiences discrimination from nationalists, that's obvious and true everywhere in the world.

But to the majority of the population white people are considered superior and receive even better treatment than the locals. You have expats living there for decades without speaking the language yet still able to find a job, treated with respect.

On the other hand you brown/black/other asians with better achievements/grasp of the language basically denied immediately. Ask any expat this is common knowledge.

East Asia has a huge problem with not just racism towards blacks/brown people but also putting white people on a pedestal.
 

Kusagari

Member
All of East Asia has problems, but even compared to Japan and China; South Korea has always seemed a step above. Which I've always found odd.
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
Yeah it's weird that a country that takes cues from America would be racist against black people :|
Largey that they took whole sale American entertainment culture. Which isn't as predominantly racist and has a dominant black influence. Like really dominant. It wouldn't be like these people have never seen a black person on tv before or anywhere close.
 
It's pretty fucking weird for a country that worships America so much as far as East Asian countries go. Alas.

Koreans might enjoy American culture, but they are not raised the believe that American is the greatest country. It is a deeply nationalistic country with the idea of Korea being the greatest country.
 

Khasim

Member
1415385536_how_to_scare_korean_women_in_korea.gif


Staged or not, every time racism in East Asia comes up as a topic, this gif comes to mind.
 
Largey that they took whole sale American entertainment culture. Which isn't as predominantly racist and has a dominant black influence. Like really dominant. It would be like these people have never seen a black person on tv before or anywhere close.

Yeah there's nothing racist about American entertainment culture :|
 

Fuchsdh

Member
So SK is about 5x more racist than the US, interesting.

Well, or just 5X more likely to admit they're racist 'cause they don't see what's wrong with it. But yeah, I get what you mean.

I don't know what's more amazing to me:
1. SK is only getting its first black model in 2017
2. There's a black model at all

I'm not surprised at the amount of hate. Its a shame that in this time of the internet where a conversation with a person from a different country, gender, race, etc. is only a few mouse clicks away, people still hold on to ignorant views. With each passing year I become more convinced that information and statistics aren't what changes people's minds.

The only real long-term solution (beyond government redress) for racism is socialization. Problem is in the short term that's actually more likely to cause negative impacts like decreases in social cohesion and the like.

Hope things work out for the model.
 
Black people hated the world over. Yet Black people culture loved the world over.

Paul Mooney was right.

"Everybody wanna be a n*gga but nobody wanna be a n*gga."
 
It's pretty fucking weird for a country that worships America so much as far as East Asian countries go. Alas.

It could be interpreted as worship, but it's more like "entertained". Much like how white people were entertained by black performers in the 20th century, but would never interact with a black person socially.
 

GreekWolf

Member
It's pretty fucking weird for a country that worships America so much as far as East Asian countries go. Alas.

I think they worship white Koreans, seeing themselves as the pinnacle of physical beauty. Of course, to achieve this "perfection" they require eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and a healthy dose of skin creams.
 

vordhosbn

Banned
I think they worship white Koreans, seeing themselves as the pinnacle of physical beauty. Of course, to achieve this "perfection" they require eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and a healthy dose of skin creams.

Imagine if a black person bleached their skin, nosejob and got blue eye contacts...then called it "African standard of beauty". Some people in this thread are hilarious.
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
Yeah there's nothing racist about American entertainment culture :|
Behr of course there are elements many but why do you think it was a revelation to many countries just how bad your police system towards black people are the levels of systemic oppression etc are until the more recent times. From the stuff that actually makes it out it wasn't as visible. It's not like American fox news was being show in many countries in the 80's 90'a and 2000's
 
I think they worship white Koreans, seeing themselves as the pinnacle of physical beauty. Of course, to achieve this "perfection" they require eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and a healthy dose of skin creams.

I think you are spot on. Koreans don't want to look like white people, they want to look like their favourite Korean celebs, who obtain the 'western' look.

Koreans wanting to look pale comes down to class systems rather than a desire to look like a white person. pale skin is a sign of higher birth, while dark skin meant your family was out on the farm all day.
 
It's no different with White supremacists/racists and Rock and Roll and Country music.

Kinda is though. Sure the roots and main starting point of Rock and Roll and Country music was an expression of Country and Urban black experiences put into song and popularized. But it hasn't been strictly a black cultural touchstone in a while.

But South Korea's entire pop culture is literally just straight up stealing current black culture, saying it's theirs and rolling with it while black people are viewed as subhuman. They appropriate the entirety of current black culture (complete with slang), their most popular artist is a damn hip-hop dancer!
 

JimiNutz

Banned
Maybe a coincidence but one of my close friends has become considerably more 'conservative' (he's basically become a racist) in the five years that he has been living and teaching in South Korea.

Where he once was very Liberal he is now pretty staunchly Conservative (he's a UK citizen and is very pro Brexit and also quite sympathetic to Trump). His main shift in view is how he now views foreigners (mainly black and Muslims). Can't help but wonder if five years living in a overtly racist society has had a big influence on his views?
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
It could be interpreted as worship, but it's more like "entertained". Much like how white people were entertained by black performers in the 20th century, but would never interact with a black person socially.
I mean more the rise of the american brand of Christanity and similar such concepts of western influence. A third of Korea is Christian which isn't anything like say Japan and the view of western values from the paper's I've read is also pretty distinct.

Doesn't seem like an active of passive interest but a large influence.
 

sinonobu

Banned
I think you are spot on. Koreans don't want to look like white people, they want to look like their favourite Korean celebs, who obtain the 'western' look.

Koreans wanting to look pale comes down to class systems rather than a desire to look like a white person. pale skin is a sign of higher birth, while dark skin meant your family was out on the farm all day.

Meh I wouldn't that go far saying skin color=symbol of hierarchy.

If there's a popular celebirity with tanned skin there'll be a lot of people who would tan their skin asap.
 

firelogic

Member
The white skin fetish that Koreans have isn't because of white people or Western culture. It's been a thing in Asia, at least in Japan and Korea, since the early days when Korea still had a royal family with a King and Japan with geishas.

As for the 5x more racist than Americans, I think they're just more honest about it. I find it extremely hard to believe that only 5.6% of Americans are racist. That's laughable. Also, Koreans may say they don't want to live next to a different race, but I'd say there's more hatred and violence towards non-whites in America than there is in Korea.

Some of the most popular variety shows in Korea involve black people, russian people, indian people, etc...where they talk about their experiences with living in Korea and why they live there. Or shows where a non-white person married a Korean and talk about their lives. And the shows don't make fools out of them either if that's what you're thinking. They're genuine, recognizable, popular celebrities. They also have numerous mixed-race documentary style shows too that are extremely popular. If Korea is 25% openly racist plus another who knows how many closet racists, they wouldn't be able to have careers in the public eye. This is a country where if a (korean) celebrity has a sex tape or is found guilty of drunk driving, or having an affair, they're completely blacklisted from the industry, not because of the company they work for, but because of the general public and the vitriol they spew via the internet. Careers are destroyed by comment sections in Korea.

To finish off, it's more the older generation of people in their 60s and above that are more averse to non-Koreans.
 
Meh I wouldn't that go far saying skin color=symbol of hierarchy.

If there's a popular celebirity with tanned skin there'll be a lot of people who would tan their skin asap.

This doesn't seem to be the case at all? Not even close. You either see the culture appropriated, while erasing the human itself that originated the stuff they're adopting such as clothing, language, or mannerisms. Outright racism, as some has posted in here. Or disdain like in the case of this model.

Where are you seeing a run on tanning and skin darkening products?
 
Imagine if a black person bleached their skin, nosejob and got blue eye contacts...then called it "African standard of beauty". Some people in this thread are hilarious.


You're being exceptionally racist, you're perpetuating false stereotypes: lots of cultures go through trends for skin tone preference, wtf's a "white person nose job" look like? and I've lived here for 6 years and seen half a dozen blue eyes. Koreans have a beauty industry that is based around Korean celebrities and Korean standards of beauty.

The culture is homogenous, it's stupid to pretend "white beauty" has some kind of privilege.
 
Meh I wouldn't that go far saying skin color=symbol of hierarchy.

If there's a popular celebirity with tanned skin there'll be a lot of people who would tan their skin asap.
Look at the ganguro stuff. :shudders:

He's right about it before modern time, though. Consistent throughout Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Viet history pale skin was seen as beautiful and dark tanned skin was seen as peasantry because they had to work outside.
 
Maybe a coincidence but one of my close friends has become considerably more 'conservative' (he's basically become a racist) in the five years that he has been living and teaching in South Korea.

Where he once was very Liberal he is now pretty staunchly Conservative (he's a UK citizen and is very pro Brexit and also quite sympathetic to Trump). His main shift in view is how he now views foreigners (mainly black and Muslims). Can't help but wonder if five years living in a overtly racist society has had a big influence on his views?

Sounds to me like your mate was already racist, but just feels safer living in a country where as a white male nobody will bother you. I have heard a lot of white people say that there are no black or muslim people to make them feel threatened.
 

kmax

Member
"Some of them told me, 'We don't do dark-skinned models,' or, 'For us, non-Korean models mean white models with blue eyes and blonde hair'," Youn said.

The white worship is strong over there, I see.
 

sinonobu

Banned
This doesn't seem to be the case at all? Not even close. You either see the culture appropriated, while erasing the human itself that originated the stuff they're adopting such as clothing, language, or mannerisms. Outright racism, as some has posted in here. Or disdain like in the case of this model.

Where are you seeing a run on tanning and skin darkening products?

I was just tryung to say that pale skin=class thing is bit too extreme. But it's more Korean people are being very naive towards media.

I'm sorry I wasn't very clear on what I was saying though. I agree with many of you in that a lot of Korean people are 'racist' but many of them are not really 'malicious' as some people say they are, they are just very ignorant.
 
You're being exceptionally racist, you're perpetuating false stereotypes: lots of cultures go through trends for skin tone preference, wtf's a "white person nose job" look like? and I've lived here for 6 years and seen half a dozen blue eyes. Koreans have a beauty industry that is based around Korean celebrities and Korean standards of beauty.

The culture is homogenous, it's stupid to pretend otherwise.

What does that mean the culture is homogenous? Because it's definitely not isolated, due to the heavy American influences. So you're claiming their beauty standards weren't influenced but everything else was?
 

black_13

Banned
It only takes a bit of traveling outside the major cities to realize that almost every country has some form of racism existant in it's culture. South East Asian countries in particular have always been racist towards non-whites. I don't get how people are still surprised at these facts. As bad as America may seem to have huge racial issue, I bet it's dwarfed when it's compared to racial issues in other countries.
 
What does that mean the culture is homogenous? Because it's definitely not isolated, due to the heavy American influences. So you're claiming their beauty standards weren't influenced but everything else was?

Homogeneity may have worked as an excuse 30 odd years ago.

South Korea is one of the most digitally connected countries in the world.

No excuses. Especially not when, again, the popular culture, trends, fashion and dialect (had one kid in Incheon call me fam) are all directly lifted straight from black folks.
 
The cultural dissonance to have your entire pop-culture built around shit you stole from black street culture and music (much like the rest of east Asia) and yet be revolted by the very idea of a black person being equal to you.

East Asian racism is a special brand of dehumanizing.

yup.

Your super right its insane how the vast majority of the population has no idea how much of their current fashion and music trends are based in, rehashed, reworked, and quite literally straight up made by black people.

The recent history of SK music especially hip hop and pop is super interesting with the amount of Korean americans who listened to rap and rnb, moving to korea after things settled down and influencing current music, a lot of times with the people themselves. Thats not to say your not on the nose though with your main point.

Sadly not surprised. Japan's take on MMA fighter Bob Sapp was a constant source of WTF double takes.

He's done good for keeping the "angry big black man" stereotype out of here which im thankful for since that shit is way to easy for people to get into... He is a goober outside of fights though. A lot of foreigners in Japan take the lowest common denominator jobs and it sucks. Especially for black guys. Hes done great at his gentle giant persona... even if it does seem like too much per this ad.

All the black dudes I see standing outside of clubs simply because black folk are tough and scary is some bullshit. but once again everyone is shilling themselves in asia. Hell my friend was "hired" on Halloween for our local club bodyguard, never had a bodyguard at this place before, simply because hes black, something I said no too as well lol. Let's not even get into porn... that just makes me angry.
 

vordhosbn

Banned
You're being exceptionally racist, you're perpetuating false stereotypes: lots of cultures go through trends for skin tone preference, wtf's a "white person nose job" look like? and I've lived here for 6 years and seen half a dozen blue eyes. Koreans have a beauty industry that is based around Korean celebrities and Korean standards of beauty.

The culture is homogenous, it's stupid to pretend otherwise.

Of course it's based around Korean celebrities, what else would it be? I'm not saying they want to change their race but to pretend like Korean standards of beauty haven't had a influence from European imperialism is simply bullshit.

The white worship is strong over there, I see.
Nah it's Korean standard of beauty dude. Just ask @ travisbickle!
 
You're being exceptionally racist, you're perpetuating false stereotypes: lots of cultures go through trends for skin tone preference, wtf's a "white person nose job" look like? and I've lived here for 6 years and seen half a dozen blue eyes. Koreans have a beauty industry that is based around Korean celebrities and Korean standards of beauty.

The culture is homogenous, it's stupid to pretend "white beauty" has some kind of privilege.

I agree with your first part, but you must realise that a lot of koreans view white people as pretty and black people as not.
 
What does that mean the culture is homogenous? Because it's definitely not isolated, due to the heavy American influences. So you're claiming their beauty standards weren't influenced but everything else was?


The beauty trends and looks are inspired by Korean movie stars and celebrities, the plastic surgery they choose and skin lightening routines are too look like other Koreans not Julia Roberts.
 
Centuries of slavery and colonial oppression are a big reason why. The deep rooted structural racism still exists and it prevalent today.

Plus in certain regional contexts - like much of East Asia - the sheer lack of cultural connections and direct trade - owing to the distance and all - means that a lot of people's exposure is via stereotypes and whatever they hear through the grapevine, which has a high chance of being misinformed, especially if it's from someone they trust that 'keeps up' with say... American news. Have had a friend in Singapore (yes, that's SEA, but general point remains applicable) completely misled as to what Black Lives Matter is about because of that.
 
I don't know how.

There's no way I could enjoy myself in any country where racism is legally protected to the extent a restaurant can flat out refuse service due to my skin color.

That's a very interesting and important thing that people don't talk about. How the institutions don't challenge that kind of behavior at all.
 
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