#Channel9Apologize: Your Defamation Isn’t a Joke

Photo Credit: BigHit Entertainment

On June 19, BTS’s fandom found itself amidst controversy on Twitter. Those who are active in the fandom know this is nothing new; we’re used to watching fights with other fandoms, news outlets, and even internal fanwars. While a lot of the fighting and arguing that takes place online isn’t important — and is only carried out by a small fraction of the fandom — yesterday’s battle was a different beast.

The Defamatory Broadcast

News quickly began circulating around ARMY Twitter of a broadcast that took place on Australian pop culture show 20 to One. The segment, aired on Nine Network and currently hosted by Erin Molan and Nick Cody, provides a vague Top 20 countdown along with “commentary.” On this episode of the segment, BTS appeared on the list of “Greatest Global Crazes” at number 18, after which each commentator managed to squeeze in at least one offensive, inappropriate statement. Comments ranged from racist and sexist to blatant misinformation and disparagement.

The segment begins with a crass statement about BTS being able to “heal the rift” between the Koreas so long as “Kim Jong-un is well into boybands,” a severely dismissive statement regarding the very real conflict that is ongoing between North and South Korea. They label BTS as “the biggest band you’ve never heard of” and “the South Korean One Direction,” giving us yet another unnecessary (and incorrect) comparison that Western media somehow still feels is valid. A “comedian,” Jimmy Carr, attempts to make a “joke” about nuclear war, before stating that BTS is not much better than a literal nuclear explosion — something that warrants no further explanation. Actor Rob Mills belittles BTS’s singing capabilities as “passable” with an out-of-context clip from a live performance; this is edited to insinuate that BTS’s live performances are bad, as if live performers can never have a less-than-perfect moment, completely ignoring the thousands of clips of their stellar live performances.

As the segment continues, one host mocks BTS for having “gangster” names, citing “Rap Monster” (Namjoon’s now-defunct stage name) as well as listing Jimin and Jungkook, despite those being their birth names. It goes without saying that likening names from another language to “gangster” names is not a good look.

The hosts move on to mention BTS’s speech at the United Nations, but instead of talking about the honor and prestige of this accomplishment, not to mention the wonderful speech Namjoon made, they “joke” that they guess the speech was about “hair products.” Perez Hilton, already problematic enough in his own right, comments on how “hardcore” the fandom is, which is cut with footage of nothing but screaming young girls. The “teenage girl” narrative is toxic and rampant when it comes to most Western media coverage about K-Pop — this segment just helped to further this one-sided, sexist viewpoint. As any ARMY can tell you, the fandom is extremely diverse, and even if it weren’t, society does not get a say in how much value the interests of teenage girls have. Hilton also complains about the response he received when he asked if any of the members were gay, completely ignorant to the Korean societal landscape in which it’s nearly career suicide in many cases to admit to any sexuality that isn’t heteronormative.

You can watch the BTS part of the segment in full here.

Tweets from Alex Williamson, another Australian “comedian” who did not appear on the broadcast, also started popping up on fandom Twitter during the debacle. In the screenshots below, it’s clear that Williamson has zero comprehension of the issues at hand. His lack of knowledge of anything BTS further complicates the issue, leading him to make a series of embarrassing and highly offensive tweets. He manages to be racist, sexist, and ageist all while being generally unintelligent and uninformed, which is quite a feat, though not one to be proud of.

Clear expression of an insecure white boy with an inferiority complex.

An example of ignorance regarding BTS’s career and ARMY fans. Guess my advanced degree is considered a “lack of education” now ;) Also, another example of ignorance, as Song Heung-min showed great support for BTS as seen here.

An example of an insecure white boy who opts for derogatory terms towards women, and has apparently never heard a BTS song before. Wow dude, I’m actually sad for you. But only a little.

After the problematic tweets blew up, fans also found older tweets from him that exhibited deep-seated racism and sexism, including rape “jokes,” pedophilia “jokes,” and derogatory statements towards women. Due to the sensitive nature of those tweets, they will not be included here.

Fandom Response

As the clip began making its way around ARMY Twitter, fans rightfully took issue with the nature of the broadcast. Large Australian fanbases (such as @BTS_AUS and @AustraliaBTS) helped spread the word about what actions fans could take. There was an organized, communal effort from fans all around the world to send reports to BigHit’s protection address as well as file formal complaints to the Australian Communications & Media Authority. Fans also made their distaste known on Twitter by tagging official accounts for 20 to One and Channel Nine, as well as some of the commentators. #Channel9Apologize quickly became popular with thousands upon thousands of tweets.

Additionally, in true ARMY fandom style, many fans responded to Williamson. To be sure, there were fans who responded inappropriately, but there were so many who responded in a mature, strategic way. #FireAlexWilliamson became a hashtag, and many eloquently expressed their reactions to someone so obviously bigoted, as well as their concerns over the 20 to One segment that was allowed to air. Watching the tweets go out in real time was an experience that confirmed how mature and effective fandoms can be when they try. Additionally, fans located Frontier Touring, a company Williamson is set to tour through. Many fans sent formal complaints in the hopes of public pressure dealing some justice.

Channel Nine’s Non-Apology

Unsurprisingly, there have been no real or effective apologies. Channel Nine tweeted out a graphic with the text “We apologise for any disrespect and offence taken” and a single heart emoji, which is almost as mocking as the 20 to One broadcast. Additionally, SBS Australia reported a comment from a Channel Nine representative which read:

“As a light-hearted entertainment program, it is our belief that last night’s episode of 20 to One, which highlighted the ‘Greatest Global Crazes’, did not breach any broadcast regulations, and was intended to humorously highlight the popularity of the group. We apologise to any who may have been offended by last night’s episode.”

Example A of “How to Not Apologize.”

Fans are not buying it, and rightfully so. This non-apology does not do anything to address the detrimental effects of the 20 to One segment. No one takes responsibility for the racism, misinformation, or defamatory nature of the broadcast. No one is held accountable for their actions. Instead, Channel Nine shifts the blame to the fandom and anyone else who felt offended. Rather than condemning the broadcast for being inappropriate and taking an active responsibility, they dodge. It’s the difference between saying “I’m sorry I hurt you” and “I’m sorry you were hurt.” That missing, active “I” in the apology renders it moot. If it’s your fault, acknowledge your part, rather than fake apologizing for someone receiving pain.

In addition to Channel Nine’s non-apology, some Western media outlets further belittled the entire situation. Hollywood Life, for example, posted a quick article where it gave bits of information about Williamson, as if that were at all pertinent to the actual situation at hand. In the same article, they neglected to call out the 20 to One broadcast or Williamson for their racist/sexist remarks and oversimplified the segment as “poking fun” at BTS. Their writer placed quote marks around the word racist when describing the broadcast, instead of calling it out for what it was.

A History of Bad Journalism

Western media does not fare well when it comes to K-Pop coverage. While that is a much larger issue in and of itself, Channel Nine’s disrespect and defamation towards BTS was not the first time the channel has had issues related to K-Pop.

In a news segment that aired on June 16, the channel used footage from BLACKPINK’s Sydney concert with the headline “5 charged for drug supply at K-Pop festival.” In reality, the drug bust happened at the I AM HARDSTYLE dance festival at Sydney’s Olympic Park, completely unrelated to BLACKPINK’s concert. This blatant disregard to fact check demonstrates how Channel Nine is well on its way to solidifying itself as an irreputable source with lazy, disgraceful journalism.

Why This Matters

Channel Nine, 20 to One, and the participants of the broadcast (as well as their defenders) are examples of why we, as a global society, still have so far to go. The idea that racist, sexist, or defamatory remarks can or should be used as “jokes” is baffling, and one has to wonder how such a distasteful segment was approved for broadcast. In fact, the response to this broadcast, and the fact that it was allowed to exist, demonstrates how “normal” it is to behave in such a deplorable way. Labeling something a “joke” does not make it right, nor does it eliminate or excuse its offense. Western media still needs a lot of help when it comes to covering K-Pop, and anyone who works in media must learn to take responsibility for their actions.

So far, none of the involved parties have taken the high road by being accountable. Channel Nine’s non-apology is an example of exactly how the situation should not have been handled. It’s disappointing that this is the best they could do.

Casual racism, sexism, and xenophobia are rampant, and the media is no exception. The characterization of K-Pop fandoms as nothing but gaggles of screaming teenage girls is a narrative that has thus far been perpetuated alongside these other egregious acts. No matter how many times K-Pop fans put it out there, we still have a long way to go in convincing the world that there’s more to us than just that. We still have a long way to go in convincing society that something is not meaningless just because young women enjoy it. This is more than just BTS and just K-Pop, and maybe one day, society as a whole will learn lessons that actually stick.