[jahye]

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Recently, an old video from 4 years ago has been released on the internet showing several members of Shinhwa (Hyesung, Eric, and Junjin) conducting a mock interview while imitating mentally disabled people.

You can watch the video on this webpage HERE

I know this thread is going to get a lot of responses from Shinhwa fans saying things like, "they were young and just having fun with eachother" or "everyone acts stupid like that sometimes" or "why bring up something that was so long ago" but I'd like to hear from those that aren't biased, those that aren't trying to defend their actions because they are fans of Shinhwa.

The release of the video now points all fingers to SM Entertainment as the original source for leaking it onto the internet since the filming of it was during a time when Shinhwa was under SM Entertainment (actually taken while they were filming their nude photobook). Many believe SM Entertainment is behind this and say they released the video to damage Shinhwa's image.

But no matter who released the video and why it was released now, at the height of Shinhwa's popularity and fame, it doesn't excuse the fact that these 3 members acted like they did in the video. It wasn't as if SM Entertainment made them do the interview or told them to act like that.

"They were young."
"They were just fooling around."
"They were just having fun."
"They didn't mean to make fun of anyone."

Responses like those ^ or similar to those or going to flood this thread.

Let me argue why those kind of responses shouldn't excuse their behavior and conduct:
1. They were not THAT young. 4 years ago they were around 22/23 years old. That may be young in the context of being in the entertainment business, but over 21 years old, whatever level of morality and maturity you're at and values you have at that age are pretty much going to remain the same till the day you die.
2. Just fooling around and having fun? Then that is an immature and crude sense of humor they have and pathetic of them to make fun of others like that.
3. How can anyone say they weren't trying to make fun of anyone? They are obviously imitating and mocking something they have seen before.

[tigereyez]

I agree. They have NO excuse for acting like this.
I'm not an anti and I'm not a biased fan which obviously some of you guys are.
This is not only disgusting but totally immature. Ugh.

I mean, what have their parents taught them? Obviously not much..*cough* for them to think this is funny.

That's not funny. Its disgusting. What were they thinking!?! I'm 16 and I KNOW BETTER.

I mean, seriously, shinhwa-fans, you really have to admit that this is going to kill shinhwa's reputation and there's REALLY NO EXCUSE for their actions. NONE.

I see that some mistakes are made but some are permanet and some deserve criticism and contempt.
This is one of them.

There's just....no excuse.

They are just acting like rich snobs.

I am disappointed and shocked in Eric especially, because I'm a big fan of shinhwa and him. *sighs*
I don't know if I can ever recover *sniff*

---------------------------------------Edit--------------------------------------

Wow. I can't believe some of you guys are bashing US for saying that Shinhwa was being stupid.
I'm so frustrated with everybody lol. They have, seriously, NO EXCUSE.
Its seriously a big deal for such a loved and venerated group to act like this.


THEY ARE HUMAN AND MISTAKES HAPPEN, YES.
BUT STOP DEFENDING THEM.
WHAT THEY DID WAS STUPID AND WRONG AND THEY DESERVE 100% THE CRITICISM THAT THEY ARE GETTING FOR THEIR MISTAKE.
THEY WONT DIE, SHINHWA FANS. THEY'LL BE OKAY AND THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT THEIR CAREER WILL BE RUINED.

AND FRANKLY, IF THEY DID THIS THINKING IT WAS FUNNY, THEY SERIOUSLY DESERVE IT.

AND SOME PEOPLE, MENTIONING SM...WTF? O_O THAT'S JUST STUPID....

This post has been edited by tigereyez: 10 January 2006 - 05:01 PM

[lilshinhwafreak]

i think this should have been in the shinhwa thread, but okay.

Personally, i really don't like that they would do something like this. Even if it was a joke, they should have known better than to act like mentally disabled people especially on cameras since they are celebrities. I was really disappointed and shocked that they would do this when i read the news at first
Yeah, people say they were young and foolish, but they should have been old enough not to do it.

I just wish it would disappear. i'm more sad than disappointed i think...

[edit] upon reading the other ppl's comments, i realized i might have been too dramatic and too shocked X_X
i just wish they're okay....

This post has been edited by lilshinhwafreak: 10 January 2006 - 06:09 PM

[jahye]

i think this should have been in the shinhwa thread, but okay.

If I put this in the Shinhwa thread, wouldn't I be speaking to a thread full of Shinhwa fans who will come to defend their behavior in a heartbeat??
I would get a million responses like these:
"They were young."
"They were just fooling around."
"They were just having fun."
"They didn't mean to make fun of anyone."
I want to hear what others, those that aren't fans of Shinhwa and don't visit the Shinhwa thread, would say about this issue.

[s3rene]

I don't really care much about the issue but I am glad Dongwan is not one of the three members. Yeah, they shouldn't have acted so immature like that.

[V A L XD]

As long as it's not Andy. i'm okay.

[melonbar92]

thats not right
im a shinhwa fan and im... disappointed for lack of better words
my view on them (hyesung, eric, and junjin) has lessened some what

[mensa]

honestly i don't care at all. i have seen worst things in my life to be shocked about this. the only reason for people making a big deal about something so old is their status of celebrities. it was bad, yes but i'm not the person to judge them because i have my own list of bad behavior to deal with than to be worrying about what other people did 4 years ago.

why they make the video? well you could ask the same question to those american stars with sex videos in the internet, and the answer will be the same: they never though that it will be in the internet some day.

This post has been edited by mensa: 09 January 2006 - 09:41 PM

[clairdeluned]

I am very disappointed, but I can in a sense forgive them. My own relative is developmentally challenged, but before I found out about it-- how it works, etc., I was just as unaware and immature about people who are not "normal", and used to poke fun at them as well. Unfortunately, it is something that you do not understand until it affects you personally...the Shinhwa members are only human. I had hoped for better from them, but my disappointment does not affect my love for them.

[angelix]

I am very disappointed, but I can in a sense forgive them. My own relative is developmentally challenged, but before I found out about it-- how it works, etc., I was just as unaware and immature about people who are not "normal", and used to poke fun at them as well. Unfortunately, it is something that you do not understand until it affects you personally...the Shinhwa members are only human. I had hoped for better from them, but my disappointment does not affect my love for them.

^ Exactly. There' still space for them to be forgiven. Whatever the reasons will be, I gotta admit what RicSyungJin did was wrong.

[Dah_jOkA]

hMm....dissappointment

[NotGuilty]

..

I'm speechless.

I hope everyone would look pass this unintended incident and see the true beauty of the shinhwa members inside.... I mean I sometimes "act like a mentally disabled person too", but I never do it b/c I thought it'd be funny to make fun of them. But rather I was just thinking of the dumbest thing I could because I know it'd make my friends laugh...never to hurt anyone and I bet that's what happening with eric jin and sung too....


thanks for the info though...


Edit:

Shinhwa members can be stupid too. They're humans.
Yeah, they should've known better though, those who are true shinhwa fans (or maybe you dont even have to be) would understand that shinhwa are a bunch of kids inside. Really, we're in their mid/late twenties and they're still beating each other with balloons and skipping around with each other like little kids. And as many of us should know...junjin is a dork. period. I don't think shinhwa really meant any harms or offense with this vid. And I am probably saying this from a very hardcore fan's point of view, but I truly truly believe it was their childish nature acting up. In other words, they weren't thinking when they did this. We've all had our moments, but it just happened that Shinhwa are considered perfect gods and everything they do (whether intentionally or unintentionally) are alot more "important" than what we do. But of course, that is b/c they are idols and influencial stars. They bear a heavier responsibility than we do. But considering the fact that Shinhwa is too wellknown for their constant childish bickering with each other and personalities (esp when this was 4 years ago...when they were in their early 20's, not to much passt a teen)...I'd think, JinRicSyung meant no harm...


EDIT 2: to get my point further across..

if this video was released on purpose to hurt shinhwa...than it is hurting shinhwa.

but the people who are hurt most in this whole situation are the shinhwa fans. for so long, who do we look up to as the perfect role models? shinhwa. and when we see them doing something like this...don't you think it hurts? we get the biggest disappointment. And if we, the people shinhwa are "hurting" and "failing" the most are able to forgive them, than why is everyone else who is unaffected by this trying so hard to bring them down?

I do agree it was not right for the 3 members to have done something like this, and it is unfair and unjust to the mentally disabled but are all of you that great of people to be standing up so strongly against this "immorality"? Things like this happen everyday at school, at work or at anywhere, but do you find yourself voicing out as strong as you are now, with shinhwa?

"They're idols, they're role models...they should know better." Would that be your reason to why you're so against them right now? I'm certain we've all seen many other "immoral" issues around us each and everyday. If you guys feel so unjust about such immorality, why didn't you get upset when you see those many others doing such things? and why did you wait until 3 famous people do it to speak up?

shouldn't those many issues that you see everyday amount enough to one incident that you caught shinhwa in?
Edit: Many "against" responses repeated how us shinhwa fans should not use the reason: "they're just humans" to defend shinhwa. I'd understand it if it were the fans saying they were perfect beings...but what did the rest of you expected shinhwa members to be? non-human creatures from outerspace? supermen?

[& JEWELRY ;]

As long as it's not Andy. i'm okay.

I`m glad it`s not Andy (as well as Dongwan & Minwoo) in this specific video, but as fans that were made to love their image we`ll never know the stupid things that they did/do. (Unless they`re released in videos like these)

This disappoints me, but they`re only human. I`m sure others their age back then have done much worse. It`s just disappointing that it had to be our beloved idols with superstar status. It was disgusting, since I feel really sad just thinking about mentally disabled people. I didn`t really care for this topic until I met someone personally that was mentally disabled.

I`m just personally glad that it`s not a sex tape.

This post has been edited by & JEWELRY ;: 09 January 2006 - 10:07 PM

[V A L XD]

honestly i don't care at all. i have seen worst things in my life to be shocked about this. the only reason for people making a big deal about something so old is their status of celebrities. it was bad, yes but i'm not the person to judge them because i have my own list of bad behavior to deal with than to be worrying about what other people did 4 years ago.

why they make the video? well you could ask the same question to those american stars with sex videos in the internet, and the answer will be the same: they never though that it will be in the internet some day.

i agree. I mean we're all sinners here. it's not that big of a deal. no one's perfect and you can't expect shinhwa to be too.

[Clu3less]

im disappointed in them. even though i'm glad it's not dongwan or andy.

but people do that. i know so many of people in my high school who make fun of mentally disabled people. i feel sad and disappointed in people when i hear people doing this because my cousin is mentally disabled. he's been made fun of ever since he was a little kid, by his classmates, his teachers, so many people.

im a little disappointed in them but then not realli surprised that stuff like this happens, but like someone said, it doesnt change the way i feel bout shinhwa

[thag00fiest]

Bullsh.t.

WTF?

So they acted like mentally retarded people. So? I'm sure a LOT of you hypocrital, b.tchy, fcking people have done that at least ONCE in your fcking life so far.

And if you're actaully a Shinhwa fan and not a fcking idiotic basher, you would've seen a video of Hyesung visiting this mentally retarded kid and singing to him and sh.t.

Yeah, I'm a fcking b.tch. So bite me. *rolleyes*

[NotGuilty]

im disappointed in them. even though i'm glad it's not dongwan or andy.

but people do that. i know so many of people in my high school who make fun of mentally disabled people. i feel sad and disappointed in people when i hear people doing this because my cousin is mentally disabled. he's been made fun of ever since he was a little kid, by his classmates, his teachers, so many people.

im a little disappointed in them but then not realli surprised that stuff like this happens, but like someone said, it doesnt change the way i feel bout shinhwa

wow. I also have a similar situation, the son of my 9th uncle (whom is my cousin) is also mentally disabled. When he was younger, he suffered alot. And my brother and I are the only ones he liked to play with before i had to move to america...so I've experienced it first handedly..and honestly...seeing my favorite people in such a video doing this...really did break my heart. But I've calmed my thoughts and resort everything and realized how many things can be said for or against these men. But in the end, I chose to believe them as wonderful human beings...anyone can have and keep their opinions, but I cannot just take one incident and weigh it agains the endless other great things Shinhwa has done...I've learned to forgive...

[lilshinhwafreak]

Edit:

Shinhwa members can be stupid too. They're humans.
Yeah, they should've known better though, those who are true shinhwa fans (or maybe you dont even have to be) would understand that shinhwa are a bunch of kids inside. Really, we're in their mid/late twenties and they're still beating each other with balloons and skipping around with each other like little kids. And as many of us should know...junjin is a dork. period. I don't think shinhwa really meant any harms or offense with this vid. And I am probably saying this from a very hardcore fan's point of view, but I truly truly believe it was their childish nature acting up. In other words, they weren't thinking when they did this. We've all had our moments, but it just happened that Shinhwa are considered perfect gods and everything they do (whether intentionally or unintentionally) are alot more "important" than what we do. But of course, that is b/c they are idols and influencial stars. They bear a heavier responsibility than we do. But considering the fact that Shinhwa is too wellknown for their constant childish bickering with each other and personalities (esp when this was 4 years ago...when they were in their early 20's, not to much passt a teen)...I'd think, JinRicSyung meant no harm...

your post made me feel better. I think i was way too shocked and disappointed...
i hope they're okay...ugh..x

[V A L XD]

I`m glad it`s not Andy (as well as Dongwan & Minwoo) in this specific video, but as fans that were made to love their image we`ll never know the stupid things that they did/do. (Unless they`re released in videos like these)

This disappoints me, but they`re only human. I`m sure others their age back then have done much worse. It`s just disappointing that it had to be our beloved idols with superstar status. It was disgusting, since I feel really sad just thinking about mentally disabled people. I didn`t really care for this topic until I met someone personally that was mentally disabled.

I`m just personally glad that it`s not a sex tape.

i thought it was a sex tape with EACH OTHER at first before i read the articles.

[NotGuilty]

your post made me feel better. I think i was way too shocked and disappointed...
i hope they're okay...ugh..x

i'm very worried for the members right now.

they must be beating themselves at this moment....they must be even more hurt than we are...