Legendary Singer Kim Jang Hoon Shows Full Support For BTS, Explaining Korea’s History

“To the people around the world and ARMY…”

Singer Kim Jang Hoon has spoken up about the controversies surrounding BTS in Japan, stating that he cannot hold back any longer.

 

BTS has recently been under fire in Japan for wearing an atomic bomb t-shirt and sharing a post regarding the Korean National Liberation Day. A Japanese media outlet has even accused BTS of “anti-Japanese” activities.

Japanese Media Accuses BTS Of Anti-Japanese Activities

 

Moreover, BTS’ appearance on a Japanese music program was postponed because of the same issues.

BTS’s Japanese Music Show Appearance Postponed Because Of Jimin’s Shirt Over A Year Ago

 

In response to BTS’ treatment in Japan, singer Kim Jang Hoon has shared a message to ARMYs and people around the world regarding the historical aspects of Korea and Japan.

“To the people around the world and ARMY

I have written this to check facts that focus more on historical records and common sense than on individual subjective opinions.”

 

 

He began by mentioning what has been happening in regard to BTS in Japan.

“In regards to BTS, there have been some malicious media reports, cancellation of television appearance and other unusual things happening in Japan right now.

A few years ago, Jimin of BTS wore an outfit that had English printings about Korean history, liberation, and patriotism on Korea’s Independence Day (the day that commemorates Korea’s independence from Japanese colonization.)”

 

 

He continued to express his own opinion, stating that Japan’s attitude towards many Asian countries is very disrespectful.

“I think what Japan is doing to BTS as mentioned above and the Japanese government’s attitude toward BTS is very narrow, and Japan does not reflect upon what they did to Korea in the past and denies their invasion to Korea.

And I think Japan’s attitude is very disrespectful to many Asian countries that have suffered much as a colony of Japan.”

 

 

He then stated the historical aspects of Korea and Japan’s relationship, elaborating on specific incidents during the Japanese colonial rule in Korea and claimed that Japan, who is the perpetrator, was playing the victim.

“Japan was the perpetrator, and Asia was the victim. However, the reality now is that Japan, the perpetrator, is playing a victim.

How can Japan, a perpetrator, take such an attitude toward a young man who only wanted to commemorate his country’s independence day?

Does the word reflection and apology exist only outside Japan?

 

 

Proving his point with a detailed explanation, the singer concluded that Japan should make a genuine apology to not only BTS, but to many Asian countries, Korea and even the US for their past aggression.

“Finally, I hope that Japan will take the first step toward its genuine apology to the world by stopping its far-fetched, narrow-minded actions toward BTS and stopping the violence of anti-Korean groups toward the Koreans living in Japan and neglect their wrongdoings.

As the first step, I urge Japan to truly reflect and apologize to all of the victims, including many countries in Asia, Korea, and eventually the US that suffered from Japan’s past aggression.”

 

 

Read Kim Jang Hoon’s full post below:

BTS

To the people around the world and ARMY

I have written this to check facts that focus more on historical records and common sense than on individual subjective opinions.

If you agree to what I have to say here, I hope you will let the world know not just as a fan of BTS, but as a person pursuing the justice in the world we live in.

In regards to BTS, there have been some malicious media reports, cancellation of television appearance and other unusual things happening in Japan right now.

I hope you understand the issue as aspects of appropriate view of history, common sense and humanity, not as a matter of BTS or Korea and Japan relationship.

A few years ago, Jimin of BTS wore an outfit that had English printings about Korean history, liberation, and patriotism on Korea’s Independence Day (the day that commemorates Korea’s independence from Japanese colonization.)

I think what Japan is doing to BTS as mentioned above and the Japanese government’s attitude toward BTS is very narrow, and Japan does not reflect upon what they did to Korea in the past and denies their invasion to Korea.

And I think Japan’s attitude is very disrespectful to many Asian countries that have suffered much as a colony of Japan.

Of course, the colonial rule is hardly acceptable but abusive in many ways, but Japanese colonial rule was quite different from colonial rule by Western countries.

Japan used Korea as a tool of Japan’s war of aggression in the Asia-Pacific region and abused Korea in many ways including forced conscription, forced labor, and slavery.

Japan’s 731 unit stationed in Harbin, China, performed the medical experiment to living human.

It is estimated that at least 3,000 Koreans, Chinese, Russian, and Mongolians were killed after 1940.

A report by a U.S. Army investigator in Tokyo in 1947 documents a number of unbelievable atrocities committed to living humans by Japan’s 731 unit.

Japan was the perpetrator, and Asia was the victim. However, the reality now is that Japan, the perpetrator, is playing a victim.

How can Japan, a perpetrator, take such an attitude toward a young man who only wanted to commemorate his country’s independence day?

Does the word reflection and apology exist only outside Japan?

I want to talk about Jimin of BTS in relation to humanity and common sense.

The outfit that Jimin wore also had a picture of clouds during the nuclear bombing. I understand that Japan is concerned with this image.

Do you think Jimin wore the shirt to ridicule Japan purposely? If one had a common sense, there is no possibility of one seeing Jimin’s shirt in a way Japan sees it.

I bet even Koreans, who greatly suffered under Japan’s colonial rule, and myself, who has been raising issues of Dokdo and slavery to the public, feel distressed with the fact many Japanese people lost their lives in that nuclear attack. I guess every human being would have been heartbroken. Life is precious in any situations.

This is common sense.

For this reason, Japan is blaming and raising controversy by only focusing on Jimin’s shirt, which is unlikely to cause any troubles, as we can see that he has not had any purpose of ridiculing Japan in any way when we think of it with common sense.

Before Japan criticizes Jimin’s shirt, Japan should apologize to numerous victims of wars in which Japan was involved in the past.

However, Japan’s past attitude and behavior have shown no reflection and apology for what they did in the past.

In the first picture, you can see Japanese Prime Minister Abe raised his thumb and smiled brightly on the plane with the number 731 on it.

As mentioned above, 731 is the name of the Japanese military unit stationed in Harbin that performed the most brutal medical experiments in the history of living humans.

I want to ask Abe if it’s appropriate for him to show such attitude as the prime minister of Japan. Even if Abe was not the prime minister of Japan, he should not take such picture even as an ordinary citizen of assailant nation.

The second picture is the rising sun flag, which was used by the Japanese Navy during World War II.

It’s the flag used by a war criminal like the Nazis’ Hakenkreuz. However, Japan still does not accept the fact that the rising sun flag was used by war criminals in the past and uses it as an official flag of supporters in various international sports competitions and is using and promoting it in commercial products.

What you see from photo 3 is Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine. It was originally named Shokonsha when it was founded in 1869 and later named Yasukuni in 1879. The shrine was founded to honor the souls of those who died fighting in wars against foreign powers. Since 1978, Yasukuni has been enshrining 14 Class-A war criminals who were responsible for causing World War II. What’s even more surprising is that the Japanese prime minister and high-ranking officials visit there and pay their respects to these war criminals.

Japan enshrines Class-A war criminals.

In December 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially visited the shrine, receiving international criticism.

Japan’s move has been very comparable to Germany.

Germany apologized to the international community thoroughly for the Nazi ‘s atrocities after World War II.

In 1970, West German Chancellor, Willy Brandt, surprised the world when he knelt down and apologized before “the memorial stone of Jewish Victims by the Nazis” in Poland. When the German Chancellor, Willy Brandt, got down on his knees, Germany stood up again. And the peace in Europe truly arrived.

In August 2013, German Chancellor, Merkel, again apologized saying “Germany is responsible for all the crimes and the victims of the Nazis.”

Germany still carries out endless apologies and responsibilities for atrocities committed by its war criminals in World War II by punishing them with a severe sentence.

Germany knew how to reflect itself from its wrongdoings committed in the past, so Germany has become one of the strongest powers in the world.

Japan needs to learn from Germany how to apologize for their wrongdoings.

When the German Chancellor, Willy Brandt, sincerely apologized, Germany could rise again. If Japan’s far right and its government do not apologize for the history of aggression, entire Japan will eventually suffer from what they did in the past, and only the good ordinary people of Japan will suffer.

I am a singer and have been informing the world of the issue of Dokdo and Japan’s forced slavery, therefore, I am well known in Japan as an anti-Japan singer.

However, I do not hate Japan nor Japanese people.

I think Korea and Japan need to cooperate to survive in the fast-changing international community.

I think Korea and Japan should form a bilateral relationship that is close enough to cooperate like one country to become true friends and help each other to play a play a role for peace in the world as a responsible member of the global society.

However, the history between the two nations has been a big obstacle.

It is pity that the Japanese government and its far right do not understand the need for regretting their past and apologize for their wrongdoings like Germany.

Hopefully, Japan will no longer distort history and make a genuine apology to the Asian countries that have suffered from Japan’s aggression realizing that apology is no longer shameful.

Japan’s change will bring a wave of peace in Asia, and such peace will be a significant positive impact on the world.

Finally,

I hope that Japan will take the first step toward its genuine apology to the world by stopping its far-fetched, narrow-minded actions toward BTS and stopping the violence of anti-Korean groups toward the Koreans living in Japan and neglect their wrongdoings.

As the first step, I urge Japan to truly reflect and apologize to all of the victims, including many countries in Asia, Korea, and eventually the US that suffered from Japan’s past aggression.

Now is not the time to fight. It’s time for all nations in the world to come together to solve the issue of survival of the plant we live in.

There are far too many issues such as pollution, loss of human nature, depletion of resources, and so on. We need to cooperate to get our hands on those issues.

I want to ask Japan to move on together from the past through sincere apology, so Korea and Japan can become real friends pursuing the peace in Asia and for the peace of humanity.

Don’t we have the power to make these come true together?

-Kim Jang Hoon-

Source: Facebook