Readers' request.
A bit of background info: Yoo Seung Jun was a super, super, super popular solo male artist back in the 90s - probably more popular than current acts like Rain. Around the time of his enlistment, he did a lot of commercials encouraging other young males to enlist early and really played a part in glamorizing his enlistment. Before he officially enlisted, however, he went to America and dropped his Korean citizenship to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, thereby exempting him from army service. The Korean government was pissed off that he deserted the country like that and deported him, permanently banning him from ever coming back. He's since made somewhat of a career in China, I believe, but generally steered clear from Korean media until the MAMA...
So you can see why his appearance at the MAMA was quite controversial.
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Article: Yoo Seung Jun to "attend the MAMA" will he appear on Korean TV?
Source: StarIn via Nate
1. [+897, -503] Just because time passed does not mean his disgusting actions have been amended. If you still remember your past, you could never even dream of coming back to Korea. Your past is who you are.
2. [+796, -432] Is he trying to act like the senior to our artists after evading service? He's not even a Korean man anymore. I hope all of our rookies go and run him to the ground.
3. [+772, -437] Son of a b1tch, betrayer, I never want to see his face again
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Article: 'MAMA' Yoo Seung Jun on the red carpet with Jackie Chan... 'hardened facial expression'
Source: OSEN via Nate
1. [+600, -251] His name is Steven Yoo, why is the article calling him Yoo Seung Jun???
2. [+551, -237] Yoo Seung Jun was amazing in the 90s... Seriously.. If only he didn't evade service... Disappointing, but a memorable singer nontheless..
3. [+535, -255] He's the ba$tard that said he'd go to the army and ended up copping out by throwing away his Korean citizenship
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Article: Yoo Seung Jun "The celebrities at MAMA hugged me"
Source: OSEN via Nate
1. [+347, -76] People have to know the truth about this ba$tard!! This Steven Yoo b1tch isn't simply being hated on because he didn't go to the army. He's the one that said on TV every single day that a Korean man must go to the army. The government believed in him and even appointed him the honorary ambassador for the army. Then when he had to go to America for something, the government specifically asked him if he was going to go to the army after coming back and he said yes, he will no matter what, and to trust him. The government trusted him and let him go (TN: normally, you're not allowed to leave the country once your enlistment is set) and the minute he leaves, he gives up his Korean citizenship. Of course the government's pissed! Of course they ban him from entering the country!
2. [+308, -81] He betrayed the entire country. 10 years is not enough to forgive his crime. I have no idea why we have to forgive him when he himself refuses to be a Korean citizen.
3. [+264, -51] Why does the Korean media keep writing articles about a ba$tard that betrayed the Korean government?
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I remember reading about this a couple of months ago. I know lots of kpop fans hate the military and enlistment thing, but there is no denying it's very important for every Korean male and what this guy did is shameful.
ReplyDeleteIf you're a real man, ball up and do your military service like everyone else ~kay.
ReplyDelete....for once i feel that the netizen hate is appropriate...nothing is worse than a hypocritical d-bag :)
ReplyDeletewoah so military service is a serious thing in korea too. in turkey if you don't do your military service people call you traitor (and they say you are not a real man). you can even go to jail.
ReplyDeletesmh at this guy
ReplyDeletelol my korean friend was telling me about this guy. he was a big fan of him when he was a kid.. said how the netizens look down on him because of what he did
ReplyDeleteAhh.... :(
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with them. Everything they're saying about him is true, and I find his actions really shameful regardless of how much I liked his music.
The Korean military service isn't that bad. 2 years for public duty, and even less depending on what type of active duty you sign up for. After that, you're done.
Idk what he and his company were thinking allowing him to be on MAMA when he knows it's MNET, a KOREAN music program owned by a KOREAN company.
Bro, man up and enlist in the army.
ReplyDeleteI guess netizens are right to ate this time
As much as I don't agree that military service should be mandatory (and that's a WHOLE other conversation in of itself), the fact that he pretty much crapped on everyone's face and turned his back on something that he set out to do is very dishonorable. If you're going to do something and you're encouraging other people to do it, then you better be the FIRST person backing up your words and doing it. Otherwise, you just look like the biggest hypocrite. And that's exactly what he is.
ReplyDeleteI love his songs, shame he has the personality of a troll. I remember watching an interview with him and Jackie Chan and thinking about how much of an ass he seemed then.
ReplyDeleteThis man and Sumni seriously smh
ReplyDeleteWhat they both did is really low
Would he be forgiven if all he did was escape from military service?
ReplyDeleteHe did a bad thing but it was so long ago and he's apologized many times for it. Korea is such an unforgiving country.
ReplyDeleteYou should understand the significance of military service in Korea first before passing judgement on people who are still upset at him.
ReplyDeleteAll the netizenbuzz articles, including this one, have been posted on allkpop forum... lol
ReplyDeleteSo, because he grew up in california he had u.s residency all along - when he deserted to the u.s, he took the citizenship test, aced it, and dropped his Korean citizenship? Or was he a double citizen all along? (i know korea doesn't allow it, but it's not impossible) I'm trying to get a timeline here
ReplyDeleteKoreans getting upset at someone actually deserving of hatred? What is this weird new thing? Oh well, hope the trend continues.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't have a double citizenship (you're right, Korea doesn't allow it), but since he grew up & lived in the States for quite a long time, I suppose he had sort of a Green Card that allowed him to be eligible for U.S. citizenship. When he left to the U.S., he decided to become U.S. citizen & abandoned his Korean citizenship.
ReplyDeletemilitary is a big thing ALL KOREAN MEN have to be responsible for it. and for him to be an AMBASSADOR at 1st but then decided to abandon his responsible is not right. i know it seems unforgiving, but they felt betrayed. dont label Korean as unforgiving country but instead try to understand their sentiment. people have different sentiment so TRY to understand it. u like Korean entertainment industry, so might as well try to understand what Koreans feel bout this
ReplyDeleteyes.
ReplyDeletewhy sunmi? why u hate sunmi when even the wonder girls dont hate her. did sunmi betrayed u or wonder girls? and sunmi didnt betrayed the whole of korea, in which this man did.
ReplyDeletewhat did sunmi do? -.-
ReplyDeletei never heard she did any 'scandal' lately or before..