Is this something that can be said?
On the 28th of last month, P.O, a member of the South Korean boy band Block B, enlisted as a recruit in the 1280th class and joined the Marine Corps Education and Training Corps in Ukcheon-eup, Minami District, Pohang City, and is expected to be discharged on September 27, 2023.
Image source: NAVER
On the 6th of this month, GQ South Korea uploaded a video titled "P.O's Letter to Fans Before Enlistment (feat.IU)" through its YouTube channel.
In the video, P.O. sends greetings and thanks to block B members, fans, colleagues who have starred in the variety show together, and the production team.
P.O said to the block B members: "Brothers, I will go well and return, let's unite." I didn't listen to my brothers and insisted on going to the Marine Corps, I would miss my brothers. The brothers should be right to say that the Marine Corps is very hard, and they should realize it after they go. ”
P.O also recounted the encouragement of his colleagues who starred in the variety show together: "I heard that I was going to the Marine Corps, Brother Shugen said that I was too greedy to deserve it, Brother Hu Dong said I was doing a good job, and Brother Guixian and Brother Zaixian were also very worried about me. Because I am very tired, do not get sick, and be sure to come back healthy and healthy. ”
P.O also mischievously called out to the variety show production team: "I will definitely come back safely, I will be healthy and will not be injured, so when I come back, I must continue to take me, and I can't abandon me because I went to the army." ”
For his close relative Song Minhao, P.O also laughed and shouted: "I will not bluff after I come back, rest assured", "Min Hao is very worried about this, afraid that I will swing and bluff after I return from the Marine Corps."
At the end of the video, P.O sent an invitation to IU, who had cooperated in the TV series "Druna Hotel": "Perhaps, IU, if you can, if you can, if you come to the army, will it help my military life?", "Haha originally wanted to say so, or forget it.".
After the video was sent, the "P.O invited IU" branch to cause controversy, and some South Korean netizens said that P.O's remarks were disrespectful to IU.
This part of the South Korean netizens denounced: "Do you still want the IU to go to the army to comfort him?" It's too much", "No matter how to say that IU is also a predecessor, how is this so", "Why should IU help P.O's military life", "IU's condolences can make military life more comfortable, this is the wrong idea of this era", "Even IU's brother never mentions his sister's affairs in order not to cause trouble to his sister, what is this doing", "Let IU go to comfort?" Why don't you let the male love beans go"...
Of course, some Korean netizens feel that there is nothing wrong with P.O's statement: "Because there is a friendship, it is only mentioned, is this too much", "It is not forcing the IU to go, the IU is not willing to go", "How do people feel uncomfortable about everything now"...
As we all know, issues related to military condolences have been controversial in South Korea.
Earlier this year, a South Korean girls' high school caused controversy by forcing female high school students to write letters of condolence to active-duty soldiers.
At that time, a post titled "Condolence Letter Received During Service" was uploaded in a Korean online community, and the author of the post said: "Most of the students have written good words on the letter paper, but I am really sad and sad after receiving such a letter, it is better not to write it, it is too much." “
The condolence letter reads: "Is life hard in the military? But you still have to work hard to live Oh, you will experience a lot of hardships in your future life, at least to overcome these to be a real man", "I am now a senior in high school, it is also very hard, but I still have to participate in such activities, so you also have to work hard", "It is so cold, if it snows, take care of it".
It is reported that the condolence letter is from the xx girls' high school students, the relevant students are forced to write condolence letters to the active military, and the letter paper and envelopes are also required to be prepared by themselves.
The army that receives condolence letters is paired with XX Girls' High School, and writing condolence letters to active military personnel has always been a traditional activity of the school, which is held once a year. However, not all students voluntarily wrote letters of condolence, just like the female student above, who wrote sarcastic content out of resentment that she was forced to write a letter of condolence.
There are also some sentences in other condolence letters that read, "I wanted to make up a little, but there is really nothing to make up", "Don't pick up soap in the army" and other sentences, in South Korea, "picking up soap" is a metaphor for same-sex sexual violence in the military.
After the content of the relevant condolence letter was exposed, South Korean netizens had a fierce discussion about the letter.
Some netizens believe that the incident is mainly due to the responsibility of the school forcing students to write condolence letters: "In 2022, there are even such schools", "Why only let students in girls' high schools write letters of condolence", "It is wrong for the school to force students to write letters against the wishes of students themselves".
Some netizens also criticized: "It is too far to mock the soldiers who defend the family and defend the country", "The current school should strengthen the polite education of students", "Originally military service is very hard, but also to see this kind of thing", "What is the psychological reason for writing such content", "The soldier who receives the letter must be sad to die"...
To this day, the controversy remains inconclusive.
All in all, the issue of military condolences, especially the military condolences of female artists, is really sensitive. I hope that all those who have enlisted or are about to enlist in the army can learn to shut up, serve well, don't find trouble for others, and don't find trouble for yourself!