The 79th anniversary of Liberation Day was celebrated in South Korea on August 15th, commemorating the country’s freedom from Japanese rule and the formation of its government. Numerous celebrities and members of the public took to social media to share pictures of the Korean flag, reflecting on the day’s important historical significance.
A number of artists, such as Seohyun and Yuri from Girls’ Generation, Jun Hyoseong, Yoon Doojoon and Im Siwan from Highlight, Sandeul from B1A4, Solji and Ellie from EXID, Kang Seungyoon from WINNER, Yoon Jisung, Nancy, Choi Yoojung, and Forestella, shared photos of the flag accompanied by heartfelt messages, reminding everyone to remember the significance of this day.
On the 15th, Stray Kids’ Felix faced backlash for suggesting a Japanese song during a discussion with fans on the communication platform Bubble. He promptly issued an apology, expressing remorse for his oversight and insensitivity on such an important day of liberation. He acknowledged his lack of knowledge about history and promised to educate himself and be more mindful in the future to avoid similar situations.
Yeonjun, from Tomorrow X Together, received backlash for sharing photos taken in Japan on Liberation Day. However, he promptly removed the photos and issued an apology, stating, “I am sorry to those who were affected by my mistake. I will take this as a lesson and be more cautious in the future to avoid similar situations.”
Furthermore, the project group BDX received backlash for sharing a sticker photo on their official social media account on the 15th, which included Japanese text and the statement, “We’ll be taking Purikura with Byu.”This action was deemed inappropriate due to the significance of the day.
On Liberation Day, WEi’s Junseo received criticism for replying in Japanese during a conversation with fans. Despite speculation that he was responding to a Japanese fan, there were those who disapproved of his use of Japanese instead of Korean on such a significant day.
In 2016, Girls’ Generation member Tiffany sparked a major controversy when she shared a photo on social media with the Japanese flag emoji on Liberation Day. She later issued two apologies in response to the backlash. Another K-pop artist, Block B’s P.O., also faced backlash for wearing an outfit with Japanese text during a Liberation Day event.
In 2020, Chanyeol of EXO faced criticism for posting a cover of Kenshi Yonezu’s “Lemon”on his SoundCloud account on Liberation Day. However, due to the backlash, he eventually removed the track from his account.
Despite facing criticism for making inaccurate statements about history on a radio program, Jun Hyoseong has since dedicated herself to studying Korean history and has even successfully passed the third level of the Korean History Proficiency Test.
This year, she commemorated Liberation Day by sharing a photo of the Korean flag and expressing her gratitude to those who have bravely defended Korea throughout its struggles and challenges. She promised to always remember and live with a grateful heart.
Jun Hyoseong’s actions, which have demonstrated her growth in response to the criticism, have served as a model for other celebrities.
As South Korea observes the 79th anniversary of Liberation Day, the actions of certain idols who lack awareness of history continue to spark controversy. While some defend these idols, claiming that taking photos in Japan or using Japanese is not worthy of criticism, others argue that such behavior shows a lack of respect for the ancestors who endured immense suffering to achieve liberation. As a result, there is a growing demand for idols to be more conscientious and considerate on this significant day.
The source of this information is Daum, which can be accessed at https://v.daum.net/v/20240816105002214.
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