I was trying to find some nice picture to attach or something but I can't find one that suits the mood of this card. Please, forgive me if there are any typos that I miss. My tablet doesn't correct anything and I'm juet going to try and get my thoughts out. Also, this all may or may not make sense but I'm going to do my best.
Now, about this EXP Edition thing...
Yeah, yeah, I know. Who hasn't had something to say about these four dudes, apparently from New York, who decided to take on the K-pop industry. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Or at least I said something like this before at some point... Have some respect, at least.
I watched the video where the group covered Super Junior's "U," I believe it was. The comment section is a hot mess on that video. (I am too lazy to link it. I'm sorry.) David Choi himself commented on the video and simply stated how it was all auto-tuned and fixed post production and that they weren't singiny live. People replied to his comment with unnecessary hate and anger and whatnot. As a K-pop fan, I cannot be convinced that all the artists I enjoy, and ones that I don't even follow, don't use auto-tune or some premade backtrack for when they perform. I don't care who it is or how talented you think they are, dancing and singing at the same time is hard. Some may be better at it than others, so I'm not saying that it's impossible. Just hard. People automatically assumed though that David was putting the group down when he was pointing out something that isn't all that strange to production, let alone Korean production. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he posted that comment simply because everyone was talking about how good the group sounded and how they sounded better on the show than they did in their music video. A professional production team (as in network/television/etc.) versus personal production goes a long way after all. Big surprise that it would be fixed in production before being aired.
The other thing that's really bothering me is the whole race issue. I have honestly never seen the term "racist" thrown around so much. I don't have any Asian in my heritage, at least as far as I know so, no, I don't know the trials of what Asians go through in their own home countries, whether it be an actual Asian country or and American or European country, or wherever. From what I've been reading, there's literally no in between with this group as far as race goes and, where I have seen that it might be, it’s very few of us that are looking at it from all angles. I've seen people bashing the boys simply because three out of four of the members are white Americans and there's apparently one that's half-Japanese? I agree with one comment I saw where they said they boys had better not complain about breaking into the industry being hard and all because of their race and I agree. They may not have fully known or are even presently aware of what they're getting into but you cannot tell me that they're clueless. But that's besides the point. They’re going for a culture that isn't at all really related to their own and, as sad as it is, it isn't really a secret that Asian countries for the most part don't take to foreigners all that well. For the most part! I didn't say all or everyone, okay?
I support what the group is doing even though I haven't listened to them or feel any real interest toward them. It’s not because they're not Korean either to be honest. I mean, I would love to be debuting on a Music Bank or Inkigayo stage to be honest. I really would. I've even auditioned for a couple of companies before. The thing is, I'm aware that it's just not of too many people's interest when foreigners are breaking into their entertainment industry. I've seen comments from people of Asian decent about how hard it is to be taken seriously in the industry of other countries, namely the States, because people have this stigma on them that they should stick to their stereotypes pretty much with being good at math or being teachers or something. Whatever. I'm not downplaying it, I swear, because I don't agree with that mindset at all. On the other hand, there are people with this idea that this group shouldn't be attempting this simply because of "white privelege" and "it's unfair." Right. So, no one else should rap or sing spirituals but Native American Indians and African decent. No one should sing the blues but Africans. No one should sing rock but Europeans. No one should sing country but those born below the Mason-Dixon. Stereotypes, right? I'm pretty sure I'm even wrong about the origins of some of those genres, but you get my point, right? These boys are actually putting in effort from what I've seen and heard so it's unfair to make it seem like they're just making fun of a whole culture. There’s blackface in Korea tor heaven's sake. Let’s be fair before you want to bring race into the equation.
