Last week, a Washington D.C.-based expert penned a letter to JYP Entertainment's CEO Park Jin Young regarding his handling of a recent situation surrounding one member of JYP's newly debuted girl group, TWICE.
Jason Lim, who previously invited Park Jin Young to the 2007 Harvard Kennedy School Hallyu Forum, wrote a letter in the Korea Times addressing Park's reaction to allegations that TWICE's Tzuyu was a supporter of Taiwanese independence. Lim's letter criticizes Park for not handling the situation better and for releasing a video apology featuring Tzuyu that is now being used internationally as proof of K-pop entertainment's forcing artists to act in certain ways.
"You should have never exposed Tzuyu to apologize in the video," wrote Lim. "Everyone could see that she was vulnerable, terrified, and numb. It's no wonder that people are comparing it to an ISIS video."
"It's nobody's fault," Lim says throughout the letter. "..But you could have handled it better."
Lim also suggests that Park should never have issued any statements, either from the agency or through Tzuyu, regarding international policy between China and Taiwan, since his entertainment agency was previously apolitical in the whole situation.
The missive ended with Lim telling Park that he missed an opportunity to save face and raise attention to his management methods.
"This crisis could have been an opportunity to show the world that you will protect your artists as fiercely as a bear protecting her cubs and honor the trust that they have invested in your care and guidance," wrote Lim.
"You would have shown your character on a global stage and be respected for it. Talents would have flocked to you. And ultimately that's what any business is all about: people. And it's still not too late to make this right and work for you if you just refocus on your people."
The letter ended with one final word of advice for Park Jin Young.
"And one more: go back to having fun. You are at your best when you are having fun. "
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Tamar Herman is a multi-media journalist and the co-founder of KultScene. She is a freelance writer and copy editor, and has written for MTV Iggy, Noisey, and Paste Magazine.
