Harim, DM on "the 18th was a riot": "Is this a tactic like the Starbucks incident...? Clearly a secondary victimization" [Full Text]

*This content was translated by AI.

Singer Harim, a relative of the victims of the the 18th Gwangju Democratization Movement, expressed bitter feelings toward a netizen who described the 18th as a "riot."

On the 19th, Harim revealed the content of a recent direct message received from a netizen via his account.

Harim wrote, "It started with a DM that said, 'the 18th was a riot, bald uncle!' A young man who went to the trouble of following me, sending this message, and then unfollowing at the speed of light. Looking at his profile, he was a handsome man who enjoyed traveling in Europe. His feed was so sincere that it almost seemed like a fake account, so I briefly glanced through it."

He continued, "For a moment, a small doubt arose. 'Wait, am I really missing something? Just as far-right forces shout about rigged elections, am I, as a relative, so blinded that I deny the riot?' If that were the case, he might have hoped that my mother, my maternal uncle, and my maternal grandfather had all lived their lives deceived... but unfortunately, the content was not of that magnitude."

He added, "Or perhaps that bald uncle was not referring to my story. 'the 18th was a riot, the bald uncle (who started this [omitted]).' Could this be a cleverly orchestrated tactic using words and subtext, much like the Starbucks incident that erupted yesterday and today? If so, is this a subtle message of support? In fact, a few facts briefly gave credibility to the young man's post. First, that I am bald; second, that I am an uncle. (Thank you for not calling me an old bald uncle.) In any case, the young man, who appealed to his honesty with impactful facts, then forcefully concluded that the 18th was a riot under North Korean orders."

Harim said, "I briefly considered it. Should I counter with, 'You'll go bald when you get old...'? If I did, it would surely end up in the next day's news as 'Harim tells young man to go bald, profanity controversy.' As an entertainer with 26 years of experience, I quickly realized I had to endure, having already learned the workings of the media. Or should I try to persuade him point by point? But with presbyopia these days, I make too many typos. Once a keyboard battle starts, I lose every time. So, I'm sorry, but I quietly clicked 'block.' I have no time to waste, as it's the peak season for performances these days, and above all, I am the son of a mother who lost her brother due to May Gwangju and the nephew who lost a kind maternal uncle."

He expressed bitterness, saying, "When I was young, I didn't know. Why was my uncle always lying down without energy? Why did he spend all day lying in a small video room, unable to care for his own child, and ultimately lose him in a traffic accident? After learning late about that huge trauma that destroyed my uncle's life, I have persistently asked: 'Why did the victim have to remain silent?' 'Why do you still cling to the riot theory that was already expelled even from the courts?' And 'Why did you have to come right in front of a relative and pour it out?' If so, this is clearly a secondary victimization."

He also added, "In case there are people who might criticize blocking as an escape, let me say that blocking that young man was not running away but preserving dignity as a relative. Here, blocking is a bold declaration of waiting endlessly. We can wait as long as it takes. For the day when those sentences that failed to be included in the preamble of the Constitution will surely be brought up again. For the day when we will no longer have to hear such insulting words. There are many ways to fight elegantly. There is a world that those who cut off power and fly helicopters will never know. #518GwangjuDemocratizationMovement"

"the 18th was a riot, bald uncle!"

It started with a DM that flew into my SNS. A young man who went to the trouble of following me, sending this message, and then unfollowing at the speed of light. Looking at his profile, he was a handsome man who enjoyed traveling in Europe. His feed was so sincere that it almost seemed like a fake account, so I briefly glanced through it.

For a moment, a small doubt arose. 'Wait, am I really missing something? Just as far-right forces shout about rigged elections, am I, as a relative, so blinded that I deny the riot?' If that were the case, he might have hoped that my mother, my maternal uncle, and my maternal grandfather had all lived their lives deceived... but unfortunately, the content was not of that magnitude.

Or perhaps that bald uncle was not referring to my story. 'the 18th was a riot, the bald uncle (who started this [omitted]).' Could this be a cleverly orchestrated tactic using words and subtext, much like the Starbucks incident that erupted yesterday and today? If so, is this a subtle message of support?

In fact, a few facts briefly gave credibility to the young man's post. First, that I am bald; second, that I am an uncle. (Thank you for not calling me an old bald uncle.) In any case, the young man, who appealed to his honesty with impactful facts, then forcefully concluded that the 18th was a riot under North Korean orders.

I briefly considered it. Should I counter with, 'You'll go bald when you get old...'? If I did, it would surely end up in the next day's news as 'Harim tells young man to go bald, profanity controversy.' As an entertainer with 26 years of experience, I quickly realized I had to endure, having already learned the workings of the media.

Or should I try to persuade him point by point? But with presbyopia these days, I make too many typos. Once a keyboard battle starts, I lose every time. So, I'm sorry, but I quietly clicked 'block.' I have no time to waste, as it's the peak season for performances these days, and above all, I am the son of a mother who lost her brother due to May Gwangju and the nephew who lost a kind maternal uncle.

When I was young, I didn't know. Why was my uncle always lying down without energy? Why did he spend all day lying in a small video room, unable to care for his own child, and ultimately lose him in a traffic accident? After learning late about that huge trauma that destroyed my uncle's life, I have persistently asked: 'Why did the victim have to remain silent?' 'Why do you still cling to the riot theory that was already expelled even from the courts?' And 'Why did you have to come right in front of a relative and pour it out?' If so, this is clearly a secondary victimization.

Through this revealed account, anyone can express any opinion just by following, but I want to inform you that this is actually a storm of writing that helps me. So, if you are going to send something, I hope you send at least this much. Who knows? Perhaps you could become a writer or a history lecturer capable of writing a book. If you can make a living from that, perhaps one day I might even thank the young man for it.

In case there are people who might criticize blocking as an escape, let me say that blocking that young man was not running away but preserving dignity as a relative. Here, blocking is a bold declaration of waiting endlessly. We can wait as long as it takes. For the day when those sentences that failed to be included in the preamble of the Constitution will surely be brought up again. For the day when we will no longer have to hear such insulting words.

There are many ways to fight elegantly. There is a world that those who cut off power and fly helicopters will never know. #518GwangjuDemocratizationMovement

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*This content was translated by AI.