‘Pro-Japanese collaborator’ stigma on EXO leader

"EXO" is a Korean boy band of 11 members with hit songs of "Growl" and "Addiction." Armed with good-looking appearances and powerful dance, EXO is one of the most beloved idol group at home and abroad. The boy band’s first album released last year recorded 1 million sales and EXO became the first Korean singer in 12 years to sell million copies, since Kim Geon-mo and GOD. EXO has been on a roll, ranked the top in the "2013 K-pop Best 20" by the U.S. music magazine Billboards and listed on "14 Artists to Watch in 2014," as the only Asian singer.

The idol group expected to lead the next generation of Korean culture wave is now at the center of a controversy over being pro-Japanese collaborators. Some netizens are now posting a distorted fact that the EXO’s leader Su-ho (Kim Jun-myeon) is the son of a pro-Japanese collaborator. Su-ho’s father, Suncheonhyang University Professor Kim Yong-ha, has been a member of the conservative-centrist civic group Citizens United for Better Society. Netizens claim that this civil organization is a "New-Right" and pro-Japanese collaborating group, therefore such group member’s son is also a pro-Japanese collaborator. It is an absurd jumping in the logic.

Professor Kim raised doubt that his son became under attack since he actively participated in discussion for civil servant pension reform. Professor Kim resigned as chairman of Korean Pension Association due to strong opposition from the Public Servant Labor Union. The worried father requested Police Cyber Crime Investigation Team for investigation.

In Korean society, anti-Japanese sentiment is strong and deeply-rooted. Whether is founded or unfounded, if a person is stigmatized as pro-Japanese, it is fatal to his or her social life. A representative case is Moon Chang-geuk, a prime minister nominee who had to step down due to the pro-Japanese controversy. Public opinion against pro-Japanese collaboration is dauntingly powerful in Korea. The problem is those who tasted the power try to use the "pro-Japanese collaborator" stigma to get rid of their opposition. Such attack and violence is not just defamation of a person but also destruction of the person’s soul.

With the 70th anniversary of independence from Japanese colonial rule ahead, it is quite worrisome that reckless stigmatization of pro-Japanese collaborators is now being used to stamp down on others. If pro-Japanese collaborators stigma is used for emotional revenge or political purposes, the thought itself is terrifying. It is right time to think about the fundamental issues raised by unfounded blame for EXO being pro-Japanese collaborators by looking back whether our society is on the right track or is making regression.