Sowon Trolled Amid Nazi Statue Backlash: Kim So Jung, better known by her stage name Sowon as part of the South Korean girl group GFriend, is facing severe criticism online for having posted photos posing with an alleged Nazi mannequin, which she later took down.
The 25-year-old took to Instagram on January 30, sharing a series of pictures with a life-size figure reportedly dressed in a Nazi uniform. One user pointed out that the photo was allegedly taken at Cafe Zino in Korea where Sowon was shooting for a show. After a Jewish K-Pop fan pointed out that Sowon had posted and deleted said pictures, the photos went viral.
"nazis are not friends... they killed 6 million jews," the user wrote, indicating the turbulent history of the Holocaust attributed to Adolf Hitler and Nazis during World War II.
See the tweet below:
btw i'm jewish with a family history involving the holocaust so don't think i don't have things to say about it
— a jewish person 📌 (@KOOSDOLLZ) January 31, 2021
Sowon Trolled, Agency Responds
After photos posted then deleted by Sowon began circulating on social media, some Twitter users alleged that GFriend had, even in the past, been accused of anti-Semitic sentiment. One user wrote, "It doesn't matter if she didn't recognize the uniform. The picture is insensitive and ignorant. Lack of hateful intent does not mean actions shouldn't have accountability."
Source Music, the entertainment establishment that is the home of K-Pop group GFriend, reportedly came out with a statement addressing the matter. The message, originally in Korean, translates as: "The department in charge did not recognise there was a problem with the mannequin's outfit... We deeply apologise for causing controversy with the video behind the comeback show VCR of our artist, GFriend, and the photo uploaded by member Sowon."
— GFRIEND Daily (@GFRIENDaily) February 1, 2021
210201 • Source Music Official Statement Regarding Sowon's Post
"We deeply apologize for causing controversy with the video behind the comeback show VCR of our artist, GFriend, and the photo uploaded by member Sowon." pic.twitter.com/R36CToM5Ou
Sowon trolled: yet to respond to the matter
More About The Band GFriend
GFriend is a South Korean music group comprising six women, namely Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, and Umji. With their debut in 2015, the girl group shot to fame with their mini-albums. Their most popular albums include Snowflake, LOL, and The Awakening. Sowon trolled