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Counterpoint: Fan Generated News — Did Micky Really Hit A Fan?

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Written by On February 22, 2012

In 2009, a video circulated amongst the Cassiopeia fandom which appeared to capture then Dong Bang Shin Ki, now JYJ member Park ‘Micky’ Yoochun in the midst of Mirotic promotions, grabbing a camera out of fan’s hand and smacking her across the head. While this video failed to circulate beyond the intimate fandom, it has recently begun disseminating and circulating amongst the general K-pop fandom. Because it captures what appears to be a male-female violence, the reactions to this video have been emotionally, politically, and socially charged. Fans have been ripping Micky apart for his dishonorable and disrespectful actions and behavior while other fans have been coming to his defense for his human, albeit mistaken, reaction to aggressive and intrusive fans.

But is the video authentic to begin with?

While Micky’s alleged actions have been causing debate (as discussed by my colleague Patricia), the authenticity of this video has also been the subject of a debate that is just as passionate and just as intense. It all started when various fan-led initiatives began uploading and circulating photo stills along with video of the aforementioned content (If you’re looking, a Google search will bring you to many resources and materials). The photo stills are of poor quality: the lighting is dark, the pixels are grainy, and the overall image is blurry. But the video, the primary “source” of the accusation, is of even poorer quality. The video is shot in landscape for the first half of the video, the point of view is shaky and crammed, and the lighting is dark. But perhaps the most questionable aspect of the quality and thus the authenticity of this video is that at the critical moment in question, the video quickly cuts to Micky walking up the stairs.

The first point of contention is whether the individual in the video is Micky. The appearance of the bowl haircut, signature of Micky during the Mirotic promotions, the dark ensemble, and then the cross-cut that depicts an individual who is walking up the stairs from the area in which the action took place, makes it clear and obvious for some fans that is, indeed, Micky. Other fans however, claim that the poor quality of the video is questionable enough that it does not suffice as evidence. On top of that, accounts from fans who were actually there claim that it was a DBSK staff member instead — not Micky.

The second point of contention, which relies on the assumption that it is, in fact, Micky, is what exactly Micky is doing. Micky, while a fan favorite in the Cassiopeia fandom and the greater K-pop fandom, has been known to angrily snatch cameras away and just generally, react poorly and negatively to traditional, albeit over the top, fan behavior. However, some fans claim that the moment in question, which can literally be isolated to three or four seconds, depicts Micky smacking her across the head and then pulling her hair. Others however, claim however that in his attempt to snatch the camera away, he accidentally hits her across the head, and afterwards, instead of pulling her hair, he is, in fact, caressing her head and comforting her for having accidentally hit her.

For someone who is not committed to either side of the camp, both arguments condemning and liberating Micky to and from these accusations are convincing in their own way. And considering the evidence, which is, regardless of where you stand in this debate, questionable, both arguments are equally convincing.

The issue of male-female violence is definitely something worth considering but what also deserves some consideration here is the issue of fan-generated news.

Since the popularization of the Internet, the individual’s access to information has increased and expanded. It doesn’t matter from where and when the news originates; the Internet can find it, provide it, and record it. Because of this increased access, the sources of news has also amplified and extended. The days in which organized, reputable sources of information were the one and only suppliers of news are now long gone. News, regardless of the official source, can be gathered from a multitude of other sources, including the personalized, individualized schema of social networks. How often have you seen news including some ground breaking, world changing news, on your social network feed before anywhere and everywhere else? While the ability to produce and gather news once existed in a relationship confined to a producer-consumer hierarchy, we live in a world where that hierarchy and arguably that relationship, no longer exist.

In K-entertainment news, for a variety of reasons, much of the news is disseminated via fan related sources. Among others, a primary reason for this modality comes from the fact that the conditions in which K-entertainment exists and thrives are conditions in which fans are a primary agent. Fans are able to gather information before anyone else either through their own efforts or from direct supply via the companies. And because fans in this particular modality are particularly aggressive and intrusive, these fans can hunt for information. Along with the increasing number of international fans and the need for international based initiatives, which are largely led by fans, the database that composes K-entertainment is especially fan generated. In essence, in K-entertainment, because fans are privy to information before anyone else, including established news sources, and to information that isn’t even officially disseminated, fans are the first and foremost provider of news.

Along with the elevation of consumer status in news consumption, the ability to edit, alter, and completely take something out of context has also become a relevant matter of discussion. And this is something to consider across the board. From CNN to BBC to Al-Jazeera and then to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, the ability to change a piece of news or to even take it out of context is commonplace. In the video, the obvious evidence of an edited jump cut is not a point of contention. But in a world where the providers of the news have grown to include the mass populace (hence constantly referring to “netizens”) and the mass populace is largely, even if incorrectly, regarded as credible as official news sources, whose own credibility is a matter of debate, this is dangerous.

This is especially so in K-pop where fan interests run high and in opposition with one another. There are fans and there are anti-fans and in conjunction with this piece of news, the fans have been accused of purposely hiding this video while other fans have been accused of purposely releasing this video, devoid of authenticity and devoid of context. The fact of the matter is, in this specific case, the fact that we are so intensely and passionately debating an issue that might not be what we think it is, is troubling. But given the conditions in which news is currently created and passed around, this is bound to happen.

Did Micky hit his fan? As convinced as you may or may not be, as of right here and right now, the answer is: No one knows. But having discussed the current state of news creation and release, I implore you to consider any and all news more carefully — especially in K-pop where fans are, more so than many other places, the primary producer of news with access to alter and edit things in order to suit their own interests.

Note: There are several versions of the video, taken from different angles, different cameras, and different points of view. The version I saw, which was among the first circulated throughout the fandom, is no longer available for viewing. Having stated that however, I still stand by the the essential claims and points I make in this article.

Also, on top of that, there are now claims that the fan — an anti-fan as far as this claim is concerned — attempted to hit him first and that he was merely blocking her and defending himself.

(YouTube)

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  • Anonymous

    The comments from the article posted before this one shows that after the initial hysteria from when this was first circulated, most Kpop followers have calmed down and have realized there were too many inconsistencies about the initial videos and the manner in which the rumor was spread. I am glad your post raises questions about the validity of the videos and the obvious editing/manipulations that was done to mislead viewers i.e. the jump between videos, the abrupt cuts, the unusual short lengths, the added looped segment in the second video, the out of sequence slap sound etc.

    We now know Yoochun was actually defending himself (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v… or go to – http://twitpic.com/8lvr4s, if you are having a hard time seeing the video). Sadly, like others have mentioned, there are some who will refuse to accept the truth, because the lies are too juicy and feeds their need for drama.

    On a personal note, would any of us tell our brothers to stand still while being attacked.
    As a woman, and a defender of women’s rights, I am appalled by the message that some are sending that we women are so weak and have no control over our emotions, so we can go around doing whatever we want without consequences. What! I am sorry that is not the kind of equality I want or fight for.

    Kpop is entertainment; idols sing and dance, they are not defenders of the universe. As we move on from this, I hope we all learn to be less judgmental and more tolerant of others.

  • http://burningleaf.livejournal.com/ daniaaaye

    this so hard. kinda technical, but a necessary advice/comment/opinion/explanation. thank you, author. :) let’s live in peace, all. 

  • Fresh Lemons

    I actually just heard a podcast about this and they made a very good statement about this. If you watch the whole video, you can see multiple fans from the beginning to the end of the video video taping the entire event. But if you think about, if there are many people taping this whole event on their phones, why were there only 2 or 3 videos of this uploaded? Wouldn’t there be more videos (5 to 10 at least) from so many different angles showing that he did not hit the fan? It just seem very suspicious as if the people there at that scene did not want to showcase their idol doing something terrible.

    • http://twitter.com/miss_subi Subashiny

      But the converse applies as well; these videos could have been uploaded BECAUSE they appear incriminating.  

    • Anonymous

      unless they are airport videos or videos of them in a foreign country
      there are no instances where 5-10 videos are released for a single incident good or bad

      Sasaengs like to keep Everything to themselves

      If it was the norm to release videos at that rate we would have a minute by minute account of every kpop idols lives as there isnt a day they can live without stalker fans

      • Anonymous

         an article on this “sasaeng” thing please?

  • Anonymous

    Why would a sasaeng fan hit him? Has this happened before?

    Not casting blame on anyone, just trying to understand what happened.

    • Anonymous

      Antis would poison a TVXQ member
      what makes you think they wouldnt slap another TVXQ member?

      Sasaengs would break into their homes, hack their phones, camp outside their house for days
      They even have the members social security numbers
      We’re dealing with stalkers 

      Watch the video again 

      “Not casting blame on anyone, just trying to understand what happened.”
      Thank you for that

      • Anonymous

        Thing is, it’s a bit hard for me to picture an anti-fan managing to cross a hoard of sasaeng fans only to slap Micky. Hence I assumed the offender must be a 
        sasaeng fan. 

        • Anonymous

          Well the way I see it, if the anti fan is pretending to be a sasaeng fan to get that close then it can happen. Where there’s a will there’s a way.

    • Anonymous

      Sasaeng fans think they really own the object of their desire usually a celeb. They stalk them night and day. Invade their homes, privacy, life as much as they can. They write creepy letters and follow them inappropriate places. And when that affection isn’t eventually returned, it can get ugly.

      Basically its having a creepy dangerous stalker in America.
      Only in korea, its semi-acceptable because they call themselves fan or they are underage or something. 

      • Anonymous

        Mm, that makes sense. 

        I always had this idea that a sasaeng fan is just crazy stalker that licks the floor their idols walk on. I didn’t consider the fact that, if they are easily prone to insanely worship their idols, they are also prone to respond violently if their fantasy is shattered.

        • Anonymous

           Those type of “fans” are often mentally ill as well.  A normal person understands boundaries and does not cross them.  The line between reality and fantasy is either very blurry or doesn’t even exist for these mentally ill people any longer and that’s what makes them incredibly dangerous.

          That said, it amazes me that they have so much time and so many resources to follow people around all the time like this.

    • Ana K

      Also, its known that Yoochun’s extreme/sasaeng fans enjoy aggravating him. I think in a couple interviews he (and other members) mentioned how his stalker fans were the worst and would do things purposefully to make him angry. 

  • stephany oxford

    I’ve always been stunned by the high hypocrisy in the Kpop fandom…But what is more stunning is the reaction of international fans rather than korean fans or asians in general…we are the first to jump on Korean netziens when they bash/destroy an idol but we are not better than them. The so called feminism views that some persons had is highly disturbing! It seems like those persons don’t even know what the femenist movement is and only threw some genderized mentions in there for the sake of it, because HEY we are women, we jnow everything!

    Saying that a man should never hit a woman even if the woman did something to him first it’s rejecting the whole point of equality between genders.Pretending to defend some rights by throwing the female card only when it’s convenient it’s disturbing. As a female, thanks, but no thanks!

    As a woman, I reject all types of violence if its clearly unjustified but that’s all!
    From my point of view, after seeing all the videos out there (maybe there are more but who knows), it’s clear(for me) that the fan hit/wanted to hit him repeatedly and he reacted in a way that it might seem condemning but I call it called self-defense! If  I hit a man in his balls/face for example for the mere pleasure of doing it than I have to expect the man to react the same way I did , not more and not less!

    Another thing is the actual bashing in twitter or fandoms. I’m speechless about the free time that some fans have in order to edit/cut/blurry the video (because let’s face it, the videos are a poor attempt in  moviemaker LOL)!
    They don’t have school, family, work or something like that? I don’t know, most people have something called a life outside and uses Kpop has a way of relaxing after their daily choruses. But these days I’ve seen people (international fans), saying things like “Go die”, “Let’s stay all day in twitter, sending this video”, “Let’s destroy JYJ” “Traitors would always be traitors” etc…
    This,a few years ago, was something unimaginable(I’m only talking about the international fandom, not the korean, that’s totaly another world)!

    After all this rant, I just want to say that at the end of the day, what I listen is their music and not their life or what they do in their free time(If I actually see some variety shows and I like their so called personality it’s just a plus)… If the life of the artist would influence me in my choice/preference of music/dramas/films/movies, I can actually say that I wouldn’t listen or see  more than a half of the mundial entertainment. None of them are angels and I still listen their music because it entertains me! Period!

  • Anonymous

    I am not going to lie this sh!t storm did disappoint me a lot. Which is why I got involved in the first place. It felt like the whole tablo thing spiraling out of control people with no concrete proof making accusations and by the time there was any proof of anything…good or bad. It would be too late for yoochun. That scared me. Because really anyone’s life can go up in flames like that because people are willing to be judge jury and executioner.  Forget the fact that he’s a celebrity for a second and realize we could do the same to any innocent person in a second. I mean that’s why the whole “innocent before proven guilty” thing is so important. Not for a second did I allow myself to get pulled in by this because I never forgot tablo. Because I wanted more proof. Because it was grainy, too short, years late, and being too weird in general. I just found it hard to buy. Not because he’s yoochun, or in jyj but because it was all too suspect. And seriously the hate that spew from it broke my heart a little.

    Where is all this hate hiding that it takes one grainy hard to see 26 video to unlock it? Its sick. I think its sick. I imagine if it were me I’d like people to give me a chance. To require more before they burn me at the stick. I’d want people to think about, all of it. And if it seems weird to say yeah its weird. Not just jump on bandwagons with pitchforks ready to take me down. I don’t care who wants to call me a fan for it, I am not gonna stand by and see anyone do that to another person and not say anything.

    Beyond that the people throwing feminism around to benefit your cause, SHAME ON YOU. Feminism isn’t about us being so weak that if we hit someone we shouldn’t get hit back. Does that make sense? No thanks. Its about equality. Its about men treating us like we are their equals in every way. Get it right and stop twisting it to benefit yourself whenever you choose. If a woman hits a man with no just cause then he has a right to defend himself and hit her back. And vice versa, that’s what feminism teaches. That we are strong enough to fight back if need be, or suffer retaliation if we deserve it.

    • Anonymous

      YES! Just when I was thinking no one here had a clear understanding of feminism you prove me wrong. =)

  • http://twitter.com/rabeckham27 rabeckham

    im a fan of Dong Bang Shin Ki and Micky Yoochun, but before that i am a human being who likes to exercise her brain cells.. when the video was initially launched, the antis went into a frenzy of accusations calling Micky names from assaulter to guilty of trampling on basic human rights, even Chris Brown of South Korea LOL (sarcastic) .. while the defenders went into a state of denial that it wasnt actually Yoochun to begin with…. 
    lets say its Micky (i believe so), instead of just going bananas and getting into accusation tirade  shouldnt we just try to think for a few seconds why would he do that? there were clearly alot of fans present there, many had been filming yet the incident happened with just one? and such an incident never repeated itself.. the ‘victim’ never even spoke about it, no blog entry or account whatsoever…
    furthermore why would a known figure in the presence of so many people who clearly recognize him, get physical? and if say Micky did initiate the incident, Jaejoong who was a few steps behind wouldnt he have come forward and stopped him and dragged him away? plus wouldnt the other fans get scared of getting ‘beaten’ themselves and try to get away from Micky? 
    these are just a few questions that anyone can come up with after having given the incident some thought…

    for me it all points to Yoochun acting out in defense, though a little aggressively since its clear from the videos that he did push her hand away with force… but for all who accuse him of being irrational and not thinking about his celebrity status, i say you try to hit anyone older than you or more senior than you in public and see if they debate about hitting you back or not! lets not try to act all hypocritical! ‘element of surprise’ and reflex reactions are parts of basic human nature.. we must not forget that even though we give our idols God-like status, they are after all, humans.. and not always perfect!

    that said, because such an incident never repeated itself, im still a fan of Micky Yoochun!

    • Anonymous

      I agree with whatever you said! thumbs up!!
      The most wonderful thing i saw during this whole incident is how the ones who called themselves “true” fans so immediately turned to point fingers of accusations towards Yoochun! Lets see if anyone of them stays put after they are hit! These fans that wave the flag of human rights and righteousness are the real hypocrites!! They are nothing more than cyber bullies who need to get out of their rooms!

      I am not one of those delusional fans who believe that this person in the vid is not Yoochun! as blurry or grainy or whatever the image maybe, any cassie could recognize their dong bang guys! oh heck we possess the power to correctly recognize all 5 of them just from their back!! I am amazed of how ppl are saying that its not Yoochun! Yes this is Yoochun, but i dont know what truly happened in this vid! Perhaps that person was really an anti and hit chun first or vice versa! Bottomline is that a mere vid of under 20 or so seconds cannot make me take my hatchet out and go all crazy on Chun’s ass! I still love and respect my Chunface!

      Also i have been itchin’ to ask all these stupid ppl who are saying that chun is the “Korean Chris Brown”, ARE YOU ON FREAKIN CRACK?? Besides don’t you know Chris Brown and Rihanna are friends again?? lmao!! Perhaps Chun and this lady will have a duet too in the near future! *fingers crossed*

  • Capri08

    I have watch this video and several others from both anti and fans alike. One thing that remain the constant in these videos are that two hands are being raised. The first one seem to come from the anti/fan  how ever you want to call her/him and the other seem to come from Micky ( if that is him). Though I’m against anyone using violence be it man or women just because you can. I find myself siding with the idol, because it appears to be in self-defence. 
    Now a person can only draw conclusion from the videos and the evidence that is given to you. One cannot make a judgement call unless you review all sides of the argument and come up with your own call. And since Micky and the anti/fan haven’t come forward with statements. Like the saying goes there are three sides to every story A side, B side and the truth. 

  • http://twitter.com/ikkemenJJ jjikkemen

    oh seriously im tired of this. i’ve been a long time fan. and this rumor indeed started a few years ago. so old news. duh. if he’s really guilty, then why wasnt it reported in any korean news? since we know how crazy netizens can be. but no. i seriously wanna kill those antis who tried to distort the video and in the end conclusively said : Taraaa yoochun hit a fan!

    oh god i hope with all these storms in the jyj fandom recently, it would be some kind of a hint that they’ll continue to bring greater success in the future.

    demn antis

    god bless JYJ ;)

  • Anonymous

    Thanks so much for putting that video up there! 
    I think so many women just see “man beater” and then don’t even bother to see the circumstances.

    I think this begs the question: Is it ever okay for a man to put his hands on a woman? I think it’s certainly okay, when it’s in self-defense.

    If a woman idol had been in Mickey’s place, she would have been defended.

    The double standard about physical violence is wrong. Maybe men aren’t as physically weak, but they still don’t deserve to be hit.

    I wish that the site where this was posted allowed open membership because now a whole bunch of people are going to be anti-Yoochun fans for no reason just because one member decided to post something.

    Not only that but one member who is unreliable too posted stuff about other idols hitting people and people actually started to believe it just by word of mouth, which I find very sad.

    It’s like a witch hunt, honestly, and I feel sorry for Yoo-chun who was probably on his last nerve after being stalked in taxis and having his phone numbers found out and his entire privacy invaded by crazy girls who need to get a life. There was a reason this video was just a blip in 2009. It should have been left there instead of taking out of context and spread around like it was “fact”.

    • Anonymous

      PREACH!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Van-Pham/100001852086901 Van Pham

    Thank you very much for putting the video (
    actually i think other vid more clear) off course still its up the pps what they are thinking ..but at least they have a change see the different corner what was happen. I think some of us misunderstand about the proud of be a women right now, it is not about “the men can touch me, whatever i do”..it is about we can handle strong,independent, responsibly, understanding, knowledge with  not less than the men in include our family and outside public and our successively and faultily will be equal with the men..and doesn’t mater you are women or men..if you start to violence you have to think pps have right to get you back.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Van-Pham/100001852086901 Van Pham

      LOL sorry “can’t touch”

  • Anonymous

    Although I don’t condone violence for most of the time, Korean idols really need to step up the effort to keep their own fans in line, rather than just assume that their agencies or the police will deal with it – the police already are busy enough dealing with the more dangerous scumbags in this planet and the agencies need to handle all the schedules and all.

    I think Micky did a justifiable act in self-defense - considering DBSK’s likely had a lot of issues with crazy fans time to time, more so than any other boy group possibly. Which goes to say, idols will need extra security too for cases like this. And I mean guys who were ex military or riot police.  

  • Anonymous

    Ugh only the people in that video know the truth

  • http://twitter.com/freahki camila villegas

    thank you for posting these…. a k-pop related site with brain

  • http://twitter.com/Makigeonna Makigeonna

    i watch many videos about this, i got stressed, but in this video we can see the girl hit Micky, Micky is just holding her head… i wonder is there is any expert who will reveal the truth of this video, above all of these i believe in him n JYJ

  • Anonymous

    I wish he would have pull that shit on me… He would have been drinking his dinner through a straw…
    There is no reason in hell other than a immediate concern for you life, for a man to lay his fingers on a woman…