The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has filed defamation charges against the netizen who posted a video of Olympic gold medalist Kim Yu-na seemingly avoiding a hug from Culture Minister Yu In-chon during a post-Olympic welcoming ceremony at the airport.
In its complaint to police, the ministry said the minister was just trying to congratulate Kim as he gave her a bouquet, but the video was edited to make it look like he was trying to molest her.
And people wonder how Korea ended up on a list like this…
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I am surprised Korea is on that list. Does being on the list have to do with this case? Or just defamation issue?
Well, even if the editing is clearly manipulated, I thought the same thing about Queen Yuna when she came off the ice after her gold medal skate. Her hug with Brian Orser was very stiff and she even flinched a little. Compared to the other skaters who seemed very close and touch feely with their coaches (Miki Ando or whatever her nuts is apparently very much so), it looks like Yuna doesn’t like to be touched. You don’t just up and hug the queen – she hugs you.
It is her personal space and her privilege to share or not share it. Perhaps she is opposed to people trying to use her as a photo-op or publicity boost?
Even without seeing the video, the complaint sounds petty, ridiculous and unwarranted. I would need to see the video to determine if there is any real merit to such a suit.
I wonder if someone is pushing the Ministry of Culture, Shizzle and Boorism to use a lawsuit as a weapon against the author of the video since the author will need to defend himself from the charge?
“It is her personal space and her privilege to share or not share it. Perhaps she is opposed to people trying to use her as a photo-op or publicity boost?”
Korean defamation is very strict, no? Not much papparazi culture, then? I did not know this.
Kim Yuna doesn’t like to be touched.
See 1:40 of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vrVcyQ7gYo
Well here is the video:
And here are some great snaps (if these are legit) of how quick emotions can be faked:
bigger size
“Abu” search this site for “defamation” and you will read of how the idea of defamation works in Korea. It’s pretty whacked but it is their law, so . . .
sorry on the last posting, I messed up the html.
copy /paste the dirty way:
video:
http://sports.media.daum.net/general/bbs/moresports/#read?bbsId=F009&articleId=219344
emotions change:
http://cafe.daum.net/tussanjokgu/5iEM/148?docid=tS0Y|5iEM|148|20100305182852&q=%BF%AC%BE%C6%2C%20%C0%AF%C0%CE%C3%CC%20%C0%E5%B0%FC%20%C8%B8%C7%C7&srchid=CCBtS0Y|5iEM|148|20100305182852
large size of emotions change:
http://bbs1.agora.media.daum.net/gaia/do/debate/read?bbsId=D115&articleId=909816
Ahahahahhaha…. Hysterical. Look, Yuna just acted like many (if not most, at least IMO) women from Korea behave when their physical space is unduly threatened. It is my experience that the vast majority of women from Korea do not like to be touched by men who are “outsiders” (not the boyfriend, not the husband, etc). I’ve seen this kind of physical evasion countless times over the years.
Now, look at the body language of the official whose attempt to “hug” Yuna. The first person on whom he places the flower necklace is the senior-citizen male whose jacket, the same as Yuna’s, indicates he’s part of the Olympic delegation. Mr. “Hug” just chucks the flower necklace and the flowers have barely landed on the senior citizen’s neck, and Mr. Hug has already moved away from him, barely acknowledging his presence. Then comes Yuna. Mr. Hug makes much more eye contact, places the flower collar far more gently, and reaches in a little with his head, neck, and shoulders, and taps Yuna’s shoulders – that’s pretty much an attempt to hug. Yuna instinctively and reflexively backed off, and her facial reaction at At 0:10 and 0:11 (“OK old man, thanks for the flowers, now get the hell away from me”) was to be expected. As I said, I’ve seen this so many times it’s hysterical.
I will say that when well-meaning white American men who had no sexual or ulterior motive gave native Korean women friendly/kindly hugs, these women either laughed in embarrassment or hugged back. It’s as if they just somehow knew these men had no other desire besides a warm greeting, and these women may well have reasoned that these white men, not being Korean, don’t understand or know how Koreans view bodily contact, so they were more comfortable with it.
For comparison, look at 0:13, when the other suit-wearing official also gives Yuna a flower necklace. He places it gently, but immediately steps away and does not invade Yuna’s personal space at all. Yuna in turn displays no startlement either with her body or face. This official did it right.
I’ll also add that oftentimes these “white American men” were old enough to be these native Korean women’s grandfathers, and I would imagine this most probably set the women at ease – they saw them just as warm and friendly (and harmless) “mikuk harabujidul.”
garlic breath
I’m just waiting for someone to photoshop a tongue sticking from Yu In-chon while he’s trying to hug Yuna…
Seriously, though… the gal went through a 12 hour flight and probably slept in the plane. She probably feels little icky and under-groomed. Then some middle aged man she hardly knows tries to hug her. What would anyone do in that situation?
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