Ripple effects of Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment: Celebrities, businesses caught in crossfire
The political upheaval surrounding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol has extended beyond the National Assembly, targeting celebrities and businesses.
Social media campaigns and boycotts have intensified, channeling public outrage in one of the world‘s most connected nations.
Singer IU, a K-pop singer and actor, has become a target of criticism from opponents of Yoon’s impeachment.
Her voluntary gesture of prepaying for food and hand warmers to support participants at a rally advocating for Yoon‘s impeachment has drawn significant criticism. Reports suggest that IU, along with other public figures, has been added to a “blacklist” allegedly compiled by Yoon’s supporters.
The “Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Support List” began circulating online last week, including IU and other celebrities, such as girl group NewJeans, filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, comedian Park Myung-soo and actor Go Ah-sung.
At the bottom of the image, it encourages reporting these individuals to the US Central Intelligence Agency, based on the spurious claim that being reported would prevent them from entering the United States.
One online user even posted a screenshot claiming to have reported IU to the CIA, urging others to participate in a “verification relay” by submitting similar reports.
The post, originally shared on the “People Power Party Gallery” of online forum DCInside, has since been deleted. Critics have dismissed the campaign as an embarrassing and absurd overreaction, with one commenter stating, “I don’t understand why people are resorting to such actions.”
Additionally, calls for boycotts against companies associated with IU have intensified. Lists of brands she has endorsement deals with, including Woori Bank and Hite Jinro, are being shared online with suggestions to stop buying products or services from the businesses.
On the other side, those supporting Yoon’s impeachment have launched a boycott against Purmil, a dairy company owned by the family of Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun’s wife.
Yoon Sang-hyun, a vocal opponent of the impeachment motion, has faced significant backlash. Critics accuse him and his family’s company of being complicit in insurrection, aligning their boycott with their broader political grievances.
Rep. Yoon, married to Shin Kyung-ah, a member of the family behind Purmil, has consistently opposed Yoon‘s impeachment.
On the day of the vote, he reaffirmed his stance, stating, “We cannot hand over power to the reckless Democratic Party led by Lee Jae-myung.”
His comments further fueled the campaign against Purmil.
Observers note that South Korea’s tendency to channel public sentiment into collective action has been magnified by social media. What begins as localized outrage can quickly escalate into nationwide campaigns, often fueled by misinformation, as seen with the CIA reporting claims, they said.
“Social media accelerates these dynamics,” said Choi Jong-ryul, a sociology professor at Keimyung University. “Outrage is no longer confined to political spheres -- it extends into cultural and economic realms, creating ripples that impact individuals and businesses alike.”
As South Korea grapples with the ramifications of Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, the controversy’s reach to celebrities and businesses underscores the pervasive nature of political division, he added.
source: The Korea Herald
Social media campaigns and boycotts have intensified, channeling public outrage in one of the world‘s most connected nations.
Singer IU, a K-pop singer and actor, has become a target of criticism from opponents of Yoon’s impeachment.
Her voluntary gesture of prepaying for food and hand warmers to support participants at a rally advocating for Yoon‘s impeachment has drawn significant criticism. Reports suggest that IU, along with other public figures, has been added to a “blacklist” allegedly compiled by Yoon’s supporters.
The “Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Support List” began circulating online last week, including IU and other celebrities, such as girl group NewJeans, filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, comedian Park Myung-soo and actor Go Ah-sung.
At the bottom of the image, it encourages reporting these individuals to the US Central Intelligence Agency, based on the spurious claim that being reported would prevent them from entering the United States.
One online user even posted a screenshot claiming to have reported IU to the CIA, urging others to participate in a “verification relay” by submitting similar reports.
The post, originally shared on the “People Power Party Gallery” of online forum DCInside, has since been deleted. Critics have dismissed the campaign as an embarrassing and absurd overreaction, with one commenter stating, “I don’t understand why people are resorting to such actions.”
Additionally, calls for boycotts against companies associated with IU have intensified. Lists of brands she has endorsement deals with, including Woori Bank and Hite Jinro, are being shared online with suggestions to stop buying products or services from the businesses.
On the other side, those supporting Yoon’s impeachment have launched a boycott against Purmil, a dairy company owned by the family of Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun’s wife.
Yoon Sang-hyun, a vocal opponent of the impeachment motion, has faced significant backlash. Critics accuse him and his family’s company of being complicit in insurrection, aligning their boycott with their broader political grievances.
Rep. Yoon, married to Shin Kyung-ah, a member of the family behind Purmil, has consistently opposed Yoon‘s impeachment.
On the day of the vote, he reaffirmed his stance, stating, “We cannot hand over power to the reckless Democratic Party led by Lee Jae-myung.”
His comments further fueled the campaign against Purmil.
Observers note that South Korea’s tendency to channel public sentiment into collective action has been magnified by social media. What begins as localized outrage can quickly escalate into nationwide campaigns, often fueled by misinformation, as seen with the CIA reporting claims, they said.
“Social media accelerates these dynamics,” said Choi Jong-ryul, a sociology professor at Keimyung University. “Outrage is no longer confined to political spheres -- it extends into cultural and economic realms, creating ripples that impact individuals and businesses alike.”
As South Korea grapples with the ramifications of Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, the controversy’s reach to celebrities and businesses underscores the pervasive nature of political division, he added.
source: The Korea Herald