The 周子瑜 incident

[skylee]

I am not quite sure why it was wrong for a 16-year old Taiwanese girl to identify with the ROC and hold the ROC flag in front of a camera. And I fail to understand why she had to apologize for it. I bet she has an ROC passport or a passport that is not issued by the PRC. If she had held a flag of the DPP/民進黨， then it might be justified to say she was pro-Taiwan independence. But it was an ROC flag.

Anyone has any views to share?

Background information -

http://shanghaiist.com/2016/01/16/chou-tzuyu-presidential-candidates.php

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/world/asia/taiwan-china-singer-chou-tzu-yu.html?referer=

[Demonic_Duck]

I guess the people who were outraged expected her to wave the PRC flag instead? In which case, they really are clueless.

 

Interesting how people are theorizing it might have affected the results of the election, though.

[dwq]

Her current management agency, which should have been protecting her, made her apologise.  (Or at least not stopping her.)  Such shamelessness.  I read that a Taiwanese management agency offered to buy out her contract from her current one.  She should take up the offer IMHO.

[skylee]

I agree with #3. The apology is about money and business.

PS - I understand not everyone is 周潤發 and can give up their business with Mainland China. But he has the right attitude - 少賺一點.

[skylee]

天朝黑洞‧周子瑜‧多謝Shell http://aukalun.blogspot.hk/2016/01/shell.html?m=1

台灣的總統選舉，每到最後關頭，總有驚愕新發展。這夜，沒有陳水扁當年那顆子彈，卻忽然投下一個喚醒人心的核彈。

千千萬萬篇文字，創意澎湃的文宣，不及一位16歲美少女的顫抖與哽咽。在鏡頭前，一如遭恐怖分子脅逼的冰冷佈置中，周子瑜躬鞠認錯，猶豫的語調、受屈辱的眼神，一種蝕骨之寒，明明白白告訴你，這個扭曲的時代，「被中國人」的荒誕。

周子瑜是韓國組合TWICE的台灣成員，因為揮舞中華民國國旗，而遭報串藝人黃安指為台獨分子，周子瑜遭內地網軍聲討，其公司JYP、贊助商不滿、合作夥伴不滿，股價下跌，承受巨大壓力。

總統選前之冷雨夜，JYP發報認錯片段，來自台灣，一個16歲的女孩「被中國人」，宣稱承認一個中國。

三十多年來改革開放，中華帝國重新發現了一個不幸的真理，有錢使得鬼推磨，每人都有一個價。

資本與錢財的重力，像一個黑洞，它扭曲周圍一切空間，吞噬你的心靈，埋沒你的尊嚴。

很肯定，立刻就會有人跳出來，說整件事，黨國沒有出過一句聲。請注意，這就是遊戲的玩法︰多年來天朝主義，控制輿論，打壓異己，全民洗腦，發財是硬道理唯一價值觀，再祭起民族主義、黨國主義，挾持十三億廉價勞動力、囤積雄厚資本、操控市場、建立強力部門統治機器、抓緊人的奴性與淺薄，燃起民族主義的烈火，無往而不利。

勢力伸延，影響所及，萬邦來朝，向人民幣下跪，向資本膜拜，臣服於十三億人口的商機。天朝不須出手，只須給你「機會」，一個市場，一種憧憬，自然會有人排隊出賣尊嚴，違背自己。

為甚麼「一帶一路」很危險？因為「一帶一路」以貌似中立的資本惡勢力，人人稱頌的搵錢硬道理，企圖輸出黑洞，扭曲全世界。

在天朝黑洞周邊，有千千萬萬個周子瑜，在法律界、學術界、傳媒界、專業界，多少人，活在屈辱間，違背自己，做違心事，說違心話，為了甚麼？有時，為了錢；有時，是為了生命中那些已付出的青春與成本，不甘就此收手；有時，是為了四周的戰友，不想連累他人，只能繼續在扭曲的黑洞中，無間苟活。

在天朝黑洞周邊，有千千萬萬間JYP，在萬惡的引力中，為了發財的大計，為了公司的生存，為了員工的生計，已經沒有講原則的餘地。在香港，又請看看，有多少製作公司、多少新聞傳媒機構、多少商人、專業人士，早已先阿爺之憂而憂，專業自閹，處處縮窒？

鄧小平往日曾三番四次說，要「韜光養晦」，現在看來，很有道理。他也許深深明白中國人本性，有錢了，就會任性，積壓百幾年的自卑感會爆發；凡事去盡，就會反彈，反效果自作自受。

處身黑洞周邊的人，如今之計，正是要與黑洞保持適當距離，不要讓自己的生命與生計，受制於黑洞的力場，以防萬劫不復。我們不能與黑洞活在不同時空，只能選擇靜待黑洞自我崩潰。

[陳德聰]

I think it's a really strange thing to see people supposedly finding appeasement in forced apologies.

I think it is true that this reflects a really fragile collective mindset, that even as a dominant force in the region, such small acts of perceived defiance (and even if they were intentional and overt defiance) could produce a fear of being demeaned, or in the extreme overthrown... Bizarre. When you are a world superpower, how much do you really have to care that a 16 year old girl might prefer to self-identify as Taiwanese?

Ugh. It is just gross watching the video and knowing that she is just the pawn in JYP's ass-kissing.

[gato]

Looks like the whole controversy started when Taiwanese singer Huang An pointed out the Korean reality TV footage and accused Chou of separatism on Weibo. Taiwanese media joined in. Huang and Taiwanese media went at it back and forth, as if Chou really was advocating Taiwnese independence, without getting her own statements. Her Korean agent sat back and ignored the controversy initially. But when mainland Chinese companies and TV stations started cancelling advertising contracts and invitations for Chouas well as for other K-Pop stars represented her agent, her agent panicked and got her to tape this appalling video apology.

She was an innocent victim in the cross fire between Huang An, Taiwanese media, and mainland Chinese internet mob. And her agent gave her up as a sacrificial lamb to save the rest of their business.

http://www.allkpop.com/forums/discussion/483476/huang-an-going-at-tzuyu-again

Huang An going at Tzuyu again

 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/01/15/2003637244

Chou Tzu-yu deal in jeopardy after Huang An tip-off

According to another report from South Korea’s CBS No Cut News, the sudden and unilateral decision by Huawei to stop cooperating with Chou was because Taiwanese singer Huang An (黃安) said Chou is a “pro-Taiwanese independence” activist.

Huang, despite being Taiwanese by birth, began developing his career in China in the late 1990s. Huang has made a name for himself in recent years by informing the Chinese government and netizens about what he regards as pro-Taiwanese independence individuals and their activities.

Chou is not the first Taiwanese celebrity to have been subjected to Huang’s tip-offs.

Chou was recently seen holding the Republic of China (ROC) and South Korean flags during a My Little Show taping on South Korean TV channel MBC.

[roddy]

"When you are a world superpower, how much do you really have to care that a 16 year old girl might prefer to self-identify as Taiwanese?"

The superpower bit of China doesn't care. This is bread and circuses to keep the online masses busy and on-message.

[Lu]

I wonder if the Chinese online masses got to see the apology, and if so, what they thought of it.

[CB6]

My understanding is that some media in Taiwan made her as a "pride" of Taiwan's separatist sentiment in the past three months which is the reason Huang An mentioned her on Weibo this month initially.  Those Taiwanese media e.g. SETN used her making separatist comments since November, 2016, long before Huang An mentioned her on Weibo. BTW, Huang made a statement today saying that he never said"waving ROC flag is Taiwanese separatist", which is made up by some Taiwan media on Weibo.

 

I guess Huang's point is that "waving ROC flag" was not the problem, the issue is how some Taiwanese media using those "waving ROC flag" pictures making separatism reports. 

 

http://www.setn.com/News.aspx?NewsID=107915

 

http://weibo.com/p/1004062489313225/home?from=page_100406_profile&wvr=6&mod=data&is_hot=1#_rnd1453121779533

[renzhe]

Anyone remember the Dixie Chicks?

Anyway, I found the whole thing rather sad and embarrassing for everyone involved.

EDIT: The saddest thing is that the flag was probably not her idea in the first place

[geraldc]

My social media feed is now full of pictures of Madonna dancing with a Taiwanese flag. This should be fun