LOONA’s Yves changes her profile photo, apologizes for using a controversial cartoon

LOONA member Yves apologized for the use of a controversial cartoon as her profile photo on the fan-artist platform FAB. The idol used a photo of Ko Eunae, a cartoon character who was deemed problematic. It had an appearance similar to the racist and offensive caricature of African-Americans.

The 25-year-old idol mentioned that she was unaware of the cartoon being offensive to certain fans and used it because it was one of Korea’s most popular cartoons. She apologized for her actions. She also mentioned that she will be careful in the future.

LOONA’s Yves uses a problematic cartoon, fans attempt to educate her

On July 28, LOONA’s member Yves communicated with fans on the Fab app, telling them about the allergic reaction. She shared a photo of her swollen lips and said that eating spicy food made her lips swell up. After sharing the picture, she changed her profile photo to a cartoon.

While on first glance, it might look harmless, international fans soon realized that the cartoon was highly problematic and offensive to the black community. The photo used by Yves was of a character called Ko Eunae from the 90s cartoon Run Hani.

Ko Eunae, even though a Korean character, had a big mouth, big lips, and curly hair. According to many people, Eunae’s appearance was anti-black. Many mentioned that it was a racist caricature that was often used to dehumanize the black community.

Yves took action immediately. She removed the profile picture and texted an apology on the FAB app in just 30 minutes, according to a fan.

However, it divided certain people as a few mentioned that the cartoon was based on a Korean ahjumma (old lady) who used to dress in similar outfits, had curly hair, and applied bright lipstick. Many people, fans and non-fans alike, called them racist too for being unable to understand the deep-rooted meaning behind it.

In the past too, another K-pop group was embroiled in a similar controversy. The MANIAC group Stray Kids’ member Hyunjin dressed up as Ko Eunae in one of their variety show episodes. The group and Hyunjin were criticized for their insensitive portrayal. They then posted an apology on their Instagram promising to be better.

Recent updates on LOONA

The 12-piece act LOONA recently announced the European leg of its first world tour, LOONATHEWORLD. The group is also prepping for their second Japanese digital single LUMINOUS scheduled for release on September 28 and upcoming Tokyo concerts.

One of its members, Chuu, will not be participating in any of the activities. The atmosphere in the ORBIT fandom is tense as they continue to demand answers for Chuu’s absence from group activities.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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