In the October 19th episode of “SNL Korea” Season 6, actress Ji Ye-eun portrayed Hanni, who appeared as a reference at the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee hearing on workplace bullying.
The parody involved Ji Ye-eun wearing the same outfit that Hanni wore during the fan meeting in Tokyo in June, where she performed Seiko Matsuda’s “Blue Lagoon”. Ji Ye-eun mimicked Hanni’s Korean pronunciation, exaggerating her accent as a Vietnamese-Australian.
NewJeans Hanni at the National Assembly Hearing: It Wasn’t a Fan Meeting…
On October 15th, Hanni testified before the National Assembly about her experiences with workplace bullying. She urged ADOR CEO Kim Joo-young to address these problems rather than focusing on future plans. Hanni’s testimony garnered praise both domestically and internationally, with viewers admiring her bravery for speaking in Korean, a language not native to her, and delivering her message at such a young age.
American music outlet Billboard called her testimony “a beacon of hope that could open up more dialogue”, and the BBC reported on her tearful account of workplace bullying.
However, SNL Korea’s portrayal of Hanni was overly clumsy and the show portrayed the hearing as if it were a fan meeting. In the parody, Hanni is shown wearing her “Blue Lagoon” stage outfit, speaking in a cutesy voice and mispronouncing words in Korean. This starkly contrasted with the composed and serious tone Hanni had taken during the real hearing.
Viewers’ Reactions: Mocking Courage and Racism?
Viewers were quick to criticize the skit, with some saying that mocking a victim’s testimony was tantamount to ridiculing the vulnerable. Others pointed out that mimicking Hanni’s accent was a form of racism, and many felt that the show was undermining the courage Hanni had displayed. Some fans launched a hashtag campaign on social media, demanding an apology from “SNL Korea”, using “#SNLKorea_ApologizeToHanni”.
Is Hanni’s “Cute” Korean Language Fair Game?
Hanni’s mispronunciations have even been nicknamed “Pham guk-eo (Pham’s language)” or “Pham tu-ri (Pham’s accent)” by her fans, turning phrases like “준비 갈 완료 (갈 준비 완료)” (meaning “Ready to go”) into online memes. However, some argue that focusing on her accent as “cute” might be disrespectful. As Korean is not Hanni’s first language, any mistakes she makes are natural, and laughing at these errors could be considered a form of discrimination. Fans and critics alike are raising concerns about whether it’s appropriate to reduce Hanni’s imperfect Korean to just an “adorable” trait.
This is why SNL Korea’s portrayal of Hanni’s accent at the National Assembly hearing feels disappointing. Hanni’s testimony was about workplace bullying, a serious issue she bravely spoke up about in a foreign country at just 20 years old.
Instead of focusing on the unjust treatment of idols in the industry, “SNL Korea” chose to highlight Hanni’s accent. The show would do well to reassess the line between satire and mockery.
Source: Daum