In the last day or so, k-ent has exploded with the sobering and disturbing news that Kim Hyun Joong is being investigated for alleged assault and battery on his (also alleged) girlfriend.
I wasn’t planning to post on this, since I generally don’t report on k-ent news, but the flood of netizen reactions across the blogosphere has been intensifying, and it’s hard to ignore the wave of intense emotion that has been building among fans and non-fans alike.
My purpose in writing this post today, is simply this: to hopefully add a voice of reason to the clamor of voices already out there in the netizen wilderness.
THE FACTS
First of all, here’s a quick run-down of the facts:
- A young lady referred to as “A” by the media, has filed a police report against Kim Hyun Joong, her alleged boyfriend, for assault and battery, specifically for 2 instances in May and July of 2014.
- “A” has submitted her testimony, and has submitted documents to prove her relationship with Kim Hyun Joong. She has also submitted medical reports documenting her injuries, which include bruising to her face, chest, arm, and butt (specifically related to the alleged May incident), as well as a fractured rib (specifically related to the alleged July incident).
- The alleged incident in May reportedly required 2 weeks for recovery, and the alleged incident in July, 6 weeks.
- The alleged catalyst for both incidents were “women troubles.”
- Kim Hyun Joong has not yet given his statement to police, and is currently in Thailand for a scheduled performance.
- Kim Hyun Joong’s agency Keyeast has not yet made an official statement.
Articles available here, here and here.
THE CAMPS
In response to these facts that have been reported, netizens have been divided into 3 main camps. Again, here’s a quick run-down of each camp’s stand.
Camp 1: “What a monster, he deserves to burn in hell.”
A lot of netizens have been quick to jump to the conclusion that if “A” is able to supply documents and medical reports to the police, then Kim Hyun Joong is as good as guilty.
Most netizens from this camp are talking about the allegations as fact.
There are also a good number of netizens in Camp 1 who preface their statements with the phrase “I hope it’s not true, but if it’s true..”
Um. That helps to take a bit of the edge off, sure, but the main message is still essentially the same. “If it’s true, what a monster, he deserves to burn in hell.”
Camp 2: “Impossible!”
Camp 2 is made up of loyal fans who appear to be suffering from some form of delusion. Reactions range from: “Oppa would never do that,” to “Oppa didn’t mean it,” to the worst type of the lot, “I wouldn’t mind being hit by Oppa, he’s so hawt.”
Many in this camp are speaking of “A” as a gold digger who has fabricated evidence in order to frame Kim Hyun Joong.
A similar preface that I mentioned used by Camp 1, is also used by Camp 2; “I hope it’s not true, but honestly.. Oppa would never do that.”
Camp 3: “Let’s wait and see. He’s innocent until proven guilty.”
Camp 3 is the more balanced camp, and netizens who fall into this group have been making efforts to reason with other netizens that Kim Hyun Joong is innocent until proven guilty, and all the bashing of alleged perpetrator &/or alleged victim is uncalled for.
Given the emotional outbursts from Camps 1 & 2 that netizens from Camp 3 are dealing with, the voices from Camp 3 have been coming across as relatively muted in comparison.
Not that I prefer Camp 3 to start raising their virtual voices and start ranting at others. Not at all.
I simply want to add my voice to Camp 3’s efforts, in the hopes of offering perspective to at least some of the netizens who have interest in the case.
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Let the record state that I’m not a Kim Hyun Joong fangirl, and neither am I an anti-fan.
I once entertained a mild crush on him in his Boys Over Flowers days, which quickly fizzled out as I moved on to other dramas and other k-crushes. Relatively recently, I found him rather amusing on Barefoot Friends.
Although I found him likable on Barefoot Friends, I would say that I generally feel quite neutral towards him. I don’t love him, neither do I hate him. Which definitely helps me to stay as objective as possible in the context of today’s post.
MY TAKE ON THE WHOLE THING
To Camp 1, I say:
While the evidence reported thus far may appear damning, Kim Hyun Joong is still innocent until proven guilty.
Let the investigation run its course, and let Kim Hyun Joong have a chance to tell his side of the story. It doesn’t matter how low you think the chances are, he could possibly be innocent. And as long as the possibility is there and the case verdict hasn’t been pronounced, we shouldn’t assume his guilt.
To Camp 2, I say:
I understand that you love Oppa, and want to support him.
Supporting Oppa doesn’t mean being in denial about his crimes (if he did commit them). That wouldn’t be helping him in the long run.
It’s also extremely twisted to say that you wouldn’t mind being beaten by Oppa. Please don’t say things like that. Your body deserves the best love and respect that you can give it.
If Kim Hyun Joong is guilty, he needs to face the consequences of his actions. If he needs to serve jail time, so be it. Justice should be served, and served well.
At the same time, if the allegations are true, then Kim Hyun Joong clearly has problems. Whether it’s anger management issues, or substance abuse issues (some speculate steroid abuse), or both, for that matter, he needs effective intervention in order to overcome his issues and have a better quality of life.
If you want to support Oppa, then support him through that process. Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
After all, Oppa is only human.
My Bottom Line:
My general approach to life is to hate the sin but not the sinner, and that everyone deserves a chance to start afresh.
The bottom line, to me, is that if Kim Hyun Joong is innocent, let it be brought to light, so that he can clear his name.
At the same time, if he’s guilty, let it also be brought to light. Then let him pay for the crime, as well as have a chance to tackle his root issues, in order to become a better person in the process.
Let the truth come to light, no cover-ups.
BUT, WHAT IF..??
Ok, but what if the case closes inconclusively, like the Park Shi Hoo case?
I can only say, we do live in an imperfect world, and it’s true that there’s a possibility that things might happen that way. Importantly though, it hasn’t happened yet. So let’s hope towards an outcome where justice is fully and fairly served.
Still, for the sake of argument, let’s say that it does turn out that way.
Even if Kim Hyun Joong is guilty and manages to make the allegations go away with some kind of out-of-court settlement, the taint on his reputation, and the setback this incident is undoubtedly going to inflict on his career, plus his niggling guilty conscience, will in themselves be a form of punishment. Y’know, things have a way of coming back to haunt you, especially if you’re nursing a guilty conscience.
On the other hand, if Kim Hyun Joong isn’t guilty, yet has to deal with the same taint on his reputation and the accompanying setback to his career, shouldn’t we refrain from making it even harder for him?
So let’s all take the measured wait-and-see approach, and stop bashing him, Miss “A,” and one another, ok?
