"Are you not afraid of an entertainment industry that ends a career over one facial expression?"

Article: Hyorin's 'straight faced controversy', an entertainment industry that ends your career over one facial expression

Source: Oh My News via Naver

Editorial that points out how Korean society is reacting too severely to the littlest of things in not only the entertainment industry, but in governmental and societal issues as well. It's an interesting read if you have the time for it!

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On the 16th, SISTAR's Hyorin was the hottest issue of the night for her 'straight faced' expression. At a recent fan signing, a minute long video of Hyorin interacting with her fans with a straight face became controversial online as it spread. In another fan signing video, Hyorin could be heard clarifying the issue by saying, "How can a person be smiling for 24 hours 365 days a year?"

Even after the video with her clarification was spread, netizens' criticisms towards her only grew. Articles relating to the controversy were filled with comments that put her down, some saying, "Isn't Hyorin famously rumored in the industry for being disrespectful?" I myself was curious after reading the comments if Hyorin's attitude warranted such hateful comments.

- Is Hyorin really disrespectful behind the cameras?

A year and three months ago, I met Hyorin at a reporting session and she was far from what everyone online is currently claiming. I actually remember her to be extremely caring, which I was grateful for.

October 31st, 2011, it was the fifth round of the Korean pro baseball series. Hyorin was at the Jamshil baseball stadium to sing the national anthem. After rehearsing for a while before the match, she went up to the ground to put on her performance. Her expression wasn't all that bright while she sang, and she actually looked quite nervous with her blank face then.

If someone had taken a fancam of her then, it would've been enough to start a 'Hyorin straight faced' controversy like the issue that is raging now. One thing that I won't agree with, however, is the fact that netizens are claiming her to be disrespectful.

At the time, while I was leaving the stadium to head to another report, I saw Hyorin and her manager busily walking out. I remember thinking that I wanted to get a couple of words from her over her thoughts on singing the national anthem that day, but never did I think that she'd take time otu of her busy schedule for a full out interview.

I was cautious about approaching her and her manager because it wasn't an official press conference or an interview. Hyorin looked extremely busy as well so I expected her to politely decline. Hyorin, however, expressionless as she's known for, readily agreed. I looked to her manager for confirmation and he agreed as well.

So at the entrance of the Jamshil stadium where fans of baseball were walking in and out, I had an impromptu interview with Hyorin. Because it was so spontaneous, I had trouble coming up with questions which led to many silent moments but Hyorin and her manager waited until the very last second for all of my questions despite their busy schedule.

When I asked if they had to get going, Hyorin reassured me by saying, "No! It's okay," allowing me to finish my interview.

Thanks to her, I was able to write out an article using a couple of her thoughtful comments on her performance.

What I'm trying to say is that sometimes it's not a 'happy face' that determines the character of a person but the truth behind their words. My experience with Hyorin allowed me to get a deeper understanding of her than most people. Although you can't tell everything about a celebrity with a short experience like that, I feel that it's enough for me to share 'one small truth' amidst a field of bad rumors surrounding her right now.

I wonder if it's possible for people to stop for a second before throwing out hate and criticism and maybe consider things like whether she was sick or tired instead of judging a person's entire character based on their facial expression alone.

- Are you not afraid of an entertainment industry that ends a career over one facial expression?

Netizens called Hyorin star diseased and cocky for claiming that a person cannot be smiling for 24 hours 365 days a year. Even after her apology, the public treated it only as an excuse.

Are you really not afraid of an entertainment industry that ends a person's career like this over one facial expression? It's not only Hyorin, but several stars that are being pained and hurt by the opinions of the public. Netizens claim the facial expressions of celebrities as the issue, but how can you not turn the mirror onto yourself and see how you are spewing 'hate' and 'criticism' without hesitation on unconfirmed rumors?

Unfortunately, netizens are judging purely based off of biased editing by TV programs and rumors spread by the people around them, which is made all the more easier by the fact that netizens can hide behind anonymity.

It's not only our entertainment industry that our society is reacting severely to, but everything from society, government, and culture. The public is quick to be angered and enraged. Do you not think that this is abnormal? I think it's time for change.

Instead of raging over a petty 'facial expression', the first step is to open your hearts to understanding the person behind that face.

It's time that we take a step back and reevaluate the situation. Is Hyorin's 'facial expression' the problem or the public's bias in which we view these issues?

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1. [+2,612, -357] But I think Hyorin just has a hot temper. On Immortal Song, she'd talk to senior Moon Hee Jun with a straight face and you can tell just by the way she interacts with other people. I get that a person can't always be smiling but she's a celebrity... she lives off of her fans. She should be treating them preciously.

2. [+2,335, -175] It's not necessarily because of her facial expression but because of what she said.

3. [+2,195, -183] The problem is that she could've just apologized but instead she said that she can't always be smiling. What she said was cocky, like she was being forced to apologize when she didn't want to. Celebrities are a part of the service industry, fan signings are not charity events. It's a part of their job. She wasn't professional at all. She should really look in a mirror and practice smiling instead of sleeping in the car.

4. [+1,878, -130] Uhh, there have been countless celebrities who've had their careers ended over something petty like this.. and I don't think I've seen a 'shield' article for them like this one.

5. [+1,833, -139] Hyorin makes it so obvious that she thinks she's hot stuff.. She needs to return to her roots.

6. [+1,732, -154] You can't get rid of your iljin roots

7. [+1,617, -133] What an extremely long shield article over nothing...

8. [+1,478, -103] There's a line that people will think she's cute and cool up to... once you cross that line like she did, you just end up looking cocky and star diseased

9. [+1,443, -108] Celebrities who lose their roots are bound to fail. Does SISTAR even have roots? It's only been three years and they're already star diseased... Just because SISTAR is the trend now, they think they're queens or something

10. [+1,104, -62] No one asked her to smile 24 hours a day... We're just asking her to smile for that one moment she's with her fans who've been waiting for her all day. The job of celebrities is to make other people have fun. Does she not know what her job is?

11. [+1,103, -67] She was probably nice and caring a year ago because it was before 'Alone' became a hit... and now she's just lost her roots.

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