Yoo Jae-suk Criticized for Allegedly Racist Remarks: What If It Had Happened Overseas?
Some viewers raised concerns that remarks made during tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block” in the “Foreign in Nationality Only” special broadcast could be interpreted as racist if the show had aired abroad. Upon reviewing the related remarks and examples from overseas, there is a significant possibility that misunderstandings could have led to accusations of racism.
In a recent episode, “You Quiz” featured foreigners who have put down roots in Korea. The guests included Leo Ranta, Amarachi and Michael Laitman. As soon as they appeared, Yoo Jae-suk asked, “Where are you from?” Leo Ranta replied, “My family is from Suji, Yongin. My hometown is near Yangjae, where my father lives. I came to Korea from Finland when I was 100 days old.” He added, “I went back to Finland around the time I graduated from elementary school. Since I didn’t know Finnish at the time, I wrote it out in Hangul.” He explained that he has lived in Korea for nearly 25 years.
Another guest, Amarachi, introduced herself, “I was born in Itaewon, Seoul, but my nationality is Nigerian.” Yoo Jae-suk expressed surprise and asked, “Have you never been to Nigeria?” Amarachi responded, “I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve never been on a plane or a boat. I’m a foreigner in nationality only.“
Despite these individuals being non-Korean by nationality, they were born or have lived in Korea for the majority of their lives, making them essentially Korean in culture. Nonetheless, throughout the show, Yoo Jae-suk repeatedly expressed amazement, saying things like “You speak Korean so well” and “Your tone and everything is very Korean“, marveling at their fluency in the language.
After the episode aired, some viewers raised concerns about Yoo Jae-suk’s reactions and hosting style. The core of the criticism was that praising someone’s ability to “speak like a Korean” based on their appearance could be considered a racially insensitive remark abroad.
In fact, in 2018, NCT’s Mark, a Korean-Canadian, was asked in an interview with an American broadcaster, “Are you from Canada?” When he confirmed, the interviewer responded with, “Your English is really good.” Since English is Mark’s native language, the remark sparked accusations of racism both in and outside of Canada. Evaluating someone’s language ability based solely on their appearance is a long-standing stereotype and form of discrimination among the Korean diaspora.
However, some argue that Yoo Jae-suk’s comments do not qualify as racist because they were directed at foreigners, not Koreans. The guests were visibly non-Korean in appearance, and his surprise at their fluent Korean was simply an expression of admiration. Given Yoo Jae-suk’s longstanding reputation for considerate hosting, this could be viewed as a misunderstanding. Yet, some viewers suggest that while such remarks might be acceptable in a domestic context, they should be avoided if seen through a “global standard” lens to prevent future misunderstandings.
Source: Naver
