Lee Jun Ki and Kim Gyu Ri Respond to News of Being on Former SK President Lee Myung Bak’s Blacklist
Life is inherently unfair and even celebrities who appear to have more than the average person suffer their own indignities, failures, and also unexpected setbacks beyond their control. This week K-net is abuzz with the publication of former South Korean President Lee Myung Bak’s cultural blacklist containing 82 names of actors, actresses, artists, entertainers, musicians, and the like who was deemed to be critical of the government and left leaning in their beliefs.
The more recognizable names for international K-drama fans would be actor Lee Jun Ki and actress Kim Gyu Ri, with both posting responses to hearing that they were in fact being targeted by their own government and limited to their entertainment activities. Both fell into the blacklist for being critical of the government in the handling of the US beef issue in 2008, with Kim Gyu Ri even sued by a importer of US beef for libel for speaking out against the safety of the product. Lee Jun Ki seems to have fared ok during the blacklist period from 2008-2013, during which he served in the military, but Kim Gyu Ri went 8 years without doing a drama and has since spoken out about how her 30’s was stolen from her.
LJK is a greatly talented actor but at times I feel that he is so lacking the luck and fortune. I am happy that he addressed the issue in his IG and captioning in English which sound to me that he clearly is aware that most supports he received came from international fans. I just hope lady luck will be by his side real soon and looking forward to a better project from him next year.
He and Moon Chaewon’s talent is soooo wasted in Criminal Minds. I really hope they both reunite one day for a romantic sageuk, they both even said they wanted to do one together.
Really? Oh, I am so happy if these two going to be paired up again and ofc in a sageuk. They both fantastic in this genre.
@Emilie not specifically a sageuk however JunKi did say he wanted to shoot something romantic with Moon Chaewon and she agreed
It goes far deeper than what’s on the surface that the media will acknowledge. This is about the ones who own or otherwise control most of the media: THE ILLUMINATI.
For those of you who are clueless, please read “The David Icke Guide to the Globalist Conspiracy” or Stewart Swerdlow’s “Blue Blood, True Blood.” The ultimate goal of the Illuminati is to create a one-world-government totalitarian dictatorship.
I have so much respect for how brave they all are. Its so sad that kind people go through such difficult times.
People in USA should really go vegan and start growing their own veggies and crops. Their bovine animals’ growth is enforced with growth hormones, which then end up in the meat and dairy products. Their livestock is grown inhumanely in cramped spaces where the chances of getting infected is higher so they load them with antibiotics, which also end up in the final product. This gives rise to antibiotic resistance. There already are bacteria which are multiple drug resistant. MRSA (Methicillin resistant) is nothing compared to what’s coming.
These animals suffer so much because of overgrowth in short period of time and their joints ache all the time. This leads to stress and when animals are stressed, they start eating each other. Prion diseases like scrapie (TSE) and Bovine spongiform encephalopathy are the result of these inhumane practices. American eggs are advised not to be eaten raw or medium rare because of salmonella risk, which is non-existent in Japan and northern Europe. Actually, their food industry is full of scams, just like in China. Their honey has not seen honey, it’s glucose-fructose syrup mixed with >1% honey. Everything is loaded with corn syrup because the government keeps funding the growing of corn for bioethanol from where the side products like syrup are used in food industry.
Lee Jun Ki and Kim Gyu Ri are really cool. Points to them for having stood up for their cause. Even if it resulted in blacklisting, I’ve got major respect for those who speak up on serious matters.
I’m curious of your sources of this information.
I’m not sure if bacterial antibiotic resistance that you are worried about is mainly attributed to treatment of livestock with antibiotics- human medical practices and widespread overuse and over prescribing of antibiotics to humans, certainly is a more common cause. And MRSA is so yesterday- there is already VRE, MRAB, multi drug resistant TB etc in humans that are spreading in hospitals worldwide, and certainly not just USA.
Also, I don’t think the risk of salmonella in eggs in limited to USA alone- and there is in-shell pasteurisation techniques to kill salmonella in eggs. Again, what is your source?
Finally, Prion diseases like BSE or Mad Cow Disease actually had it’s worst outbreak in the 1980s-1990s in UK, not the USA. Not to say it doesn’t happen in USA, but I’m curious why you are speaking as though USA is the only place where so many problems are from.
So yeah, a bit confused at your comment, because it seems prejudiced and bordering on fear mongering.
I do agree with your statement on people who stand up for causes tho. lol.
The internet is literally full of reliable sources and documentaries on American food safety and the treatment of livestock. I’m not writing only based on Cowspiracy. It’s not fear mongering actually. It’s just facts which, again, can be found anywhere on the internet. I’m fully aware that different resistant bacteria are spreading as I already pointed out in my first comment.The fact is that in the USA, it is completely legal to use liberal dosages of growth hormones and antibiotics to grow live stocks. Bovine somatotropin for increasing milk production in dairy cows is widely used and approved by FDA and retailers aren’t even required to label that in milk cartons/bottles or those plastic rectangular jugs americans have over there.This is why American meat, dairy and eggs are not allowed here in the European Union. Even in Europe, the risk of salmonella in chicken and eggs grow when you go south from Denmark.
I’m also completely aware that fresh, non-processed produce is available in farmers markets and grocery stores like Whole Foods, but it isn’t accessible nor it’s affordable to the lower middle class and the poor. Unlike here in EU countries. Vancomycin and other antibiotics, which have stopped working in many places like South-Asia and so, are still used in northern Europe, but that’s changing too. Unless new antibiotics or bacteriophage or other virus based medication is developed, patients will die in hospital beds because of infections which used to be relatively easy to cure.
Also, you asked me why I’m speaking as though USA is the only place with food related problems? Because this article was talking about how Korean actors criticised how South-Korean government handled the the US beef issue. It didn’t talk about other countries although I’m sure other countries have their own food industry scandal. We’ve had our food scandals too, where fipronil was found on eggs in Belgium and in Netherlands. Many imported foodstuffs get caught in customs for containing substances which are prohibited in EU.
The trend is moving away from hormones and such so now at everyday, non-trendy grocery stores in the US, I can find these items specifically in regards to beef and chicken. I don’t drink much milk so I haven’t checked that.
I’m glad this info is being released about what went down in Korea. But what I want to know is what media companies and entertainment companies went along with this. Shouldn’t they be outed and not protected? Maybe it has been done and it’s just not in international media yet. I think that might be the interesting thing to see though I’m sure these artists are at least realizing why things might have gone the way they did 10 or so years ago.
You are three days late unnie koala.I was wondering when you would cover this news.But you missed one more recognisable name especially for those who are k movie fans.PARK CHAN WOOK!!! The film director of “HandMaiden”.Also for LJK there are speculations that he was not just blacklisted because of the beef issue.But also because he starred in a K movie called “May 18” in 2007(Its about the Massacre at Gwanju, read abut it and see the part JG played) which was before the beef issue.Also Unnie, you do know JG was NOT ok during 2008-2013.That was the worst period of JG’s career and its all well documented.A simple wikipedia or google search will review everything that went down during that time. I mean maybe compared to Kim Gyuri. Yeah he had at least a chance to stay visible in showbiz while Gyuri was completely blocked.
Examples: he was given only one month military notice, applied for extension to complete a drama and movie he was already working on.Application denied.He had to drop out from both projects.He was also newly appointed as the Korean Tourism Ambassador, he had to forfeit the position.They framed him with two law suits, one in 2008 and another one in 2012.There are just way too many things but il stop here.
This is an example of the president having way too much power. In the U.S he would have been able to sue the president.
The sad thing is no one throughout the government, entertainment or media who must have known about this said anything. Obviously some on the list continued to work because they had enough sway and not everyone in gov, ent and media were involved. And so petty…over beef and perhaps a movie part in LJG’s case.
However, suing the president of the US…not so easy.
Nope, wrong. Nixon v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 731 (1982), held that “the President has absolute immunity from civil damage actions arising out of the execution of official duties of office.” Blacklisting entertainers in the U.S. has been done for ages (see McCarthyism in the 1950s), and just because you’re sitting in the White House, blacklisters still have no recourse whatsoever.
Blacklisting in the US was done in the 50ies re: communism and they had hearings so much was out in the open. Some went on to write under fake names and such. Little known is when the Soviet Union fell, we found out that some of the people who were indeed communist, turned in those that stepped away from communism when what Stalin did in Ukraine & gulags came out. Basically communist turning in ex-communist who were now denouncing that style of government. It was a nasty business all around.
Song Kang Ho too.Because he appeared in the movie The Attorney. So did Choi Min Shik. And there are many more prominent people whom I don’t remember.
i dint see choi min shik? was he there i dint find him among the list of 8 actors
@depa Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Shik and others were reportedly on president Park blacklist.
Lee Jun Ki, Kim Gyu Ri and the other 80 people were allegedly blacklisted way way back in time by President Lee.
thanks for the info ill check it out
I always thought the timing of LJG’s enlistment was odd so this perhaps explains that. Choi Young is my favorite role for Lee Min Ho, but I think LJG could have totally rocked that part. His hallyu status probably allowed him to recover post military but I’ve often wondered at his lack of movie roles. I know he was probably offered some but sometimes it would sound like he wasn’t getting that many offers.
Read this:
“The artists were labeled left leaning” and banned from appearing on TV programs or in films.”
Source: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturesports/2017/09/12/0701000000AEN20170912006300315.html
“It turns out the NIS even meddled in the selection of the winners of the broadcasting awards by asking for these figures to be dropped from the competition.”
Source: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/enational/810663.html
Well..we cant guarantee that he completely recovered or the others stopped being blacklisted, when the Lee president was no longer in power.The last president(2013-2017?) who was impeached had her own arts and culture blacklist and some of her staff are in jail because of that.She was in the same party as this president in the news.Read this:
“An investigation of NIS staffers based on accounts from dozens of film industry figures confirmed the existence of an “entertainment team” during the Park admin, consisting of agents who interfered in different aspects of film industry, including production, investment and distribution.Film industry figures said the NIS “entertainment team” staffers doggedly gathered intelligence on films that were currently in or scheduled on production.”
Source: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english/edition/enational/810531.html
i dont normally comment here but i was eagerly waiting for this news here if any one of you obseverved what ever he said on ears candy seemed like a silent slap on the people opposing him to me like the words i always feel lonely and abandoned i like to mingle with people but because of my star status people may seem to aviod me im not like my roles im very friendly. i want to do romance but i dont get offers hahaha hell broke on him during that show. and i should admire his guts he did a show like joseon gunman the ending of the show was dope abondon the king if does not care for people around him even after you assure him and sacrifice for him LOL the man really has some guts to do ashow like that despite being on blacklist
I feel sad for them all. Poor LJG, he was such a young man in the beginning of his acting carrier at that time. Eventhough, I’m a new to his fandome but still felt something wrong is going on with this talented actor. Now we know who is behind all the mess he went through these past few months also. Even he says he is OK but still he must’ve been through alot of hardships all this time. Such a strong man
Just because of imported beef they blacklisted these people??? Sounds very communist. There has to be more stuff not fully released. I feel more sorry for Kim Gyu ri because at least LJK has a strong fan base and men can age like fine wine. Whilst for her, prime time years are disappearing and she will never recover from this.
so true
It was Park Gyun Hye who kept a blacklist. Containing not 82 but 9000 names.
thats old news. This news came out on 12 September.Look it up..everything is explained in detail.The old news had no specific names.This one has 82 specific names..including categories..like actors, directors, tv celebrities and blah blah blah..but in any case.Its petty as hell.Whether it really is the beef issue or something completely different.
This should explain everything. No movies, no ads, no mainstream dramas and so on for Lee jun ki all these years. I feel bad for him! Poor soul, just how much suffering is a person supposed to shoulder in their life?
Such a pity. I always felt that it was weird that actors older than him like Kim Nam Gil, Hyun Bin, Kang Dong Won enlisted later than him. Now this explained why. And also i guess part of the reason why he went from doing movies to dramas and no CF for him. I am really saddened that he suffered this kind of cruel fate. Thankfully he has a loyal fanbase who supported him endlessly.
Actually isn’t he the same age as Hyun Bin? They are both born in 82 though I think LJG is like 3 months older or something. But anyway, the way he was basically forced into it when he still had time to enlist was so weird when the others were not.
@Chrissydiva, You are right.Kim Nam Gil and Kang Dong Won are 81 liners.But Hyun Bin and Lee Jun Ki are same age, both are 82 liners.Its true, I didnt know that too.I checked today.LJK is five months older than Hyun Bin. JG was born on 17 April, Hyun Bin born 25 September.Lol so if HB met JG at an event, or in the unlikely situation that they end up filming together, at the film set…HB would have to call JG..”Hyung”.So funny given their personalities..hahaha.
But yeah its weird how JG was practically forced to enlist with the 81 liners like Lee Dong Wook, Jo In Sung and Kim Ji Suk in 2010.While other 81 liners enlisted later and his agemate voluntarily enlisted in 2011.
Also if the reports are true that yhese guys were meddling with the selection of winners at film and drama awards ceremonies and asking for the artists to be removed if they are nominated.Then its no surprise that Lee Jun Ki won no acting award for arang in 2012 and two weeks in 2013.Only Apan and Seoul International Award acknowledged his acting in those dramas.
Also I dont think its too farfetched to assert that, his not winning an acting award for Moon Lovers has a little to do with this.I mean yeah we know the top drama awards go to the ones with high ratings.But SBS/MBC has a solution to that, when the actor has consistently delivered excellent performance but low ratings.They give him or her the producer’s award.All 3 of his awards for last year were the result of fan votes.Can you imagine, if the fans had not voted so profusely or other actor fans like PSH or LMH who also have mega fanbase dominated the votes and won since these two were also nominated?Lee Jun Ki would have walked away without a single individual award, not even a hallyu star award.That would have been a travesty.
Who knows what more he had to go through! Nothing hurts more than being unreasonably blackist for doing the right thing and its so sad he had to go through that. Idk why bad things happen to good people but he was the furthest thing from deserving that. I hope the new president moon jae in from opposite political party put an end to all the bullshit so he doesn’t have to suffer anymore.
Really sickening to hear of such blacklist practices of South Korea’s past presidents in a country that calls itself a democracy.
I really liked Kim Gyuri in Portrait of a Beauty and wondered why she was so absent from the K-scene. Now I know.
These things happen elsewhere too but it is not so overt and in bigger industries you can stay afloat.
It is incredible that Lee Joon Gi managed to stay relevant despite all efforts that government made to ruin him.
Well LJG, among the korean actors, you are the ONLY ONE in my white list. I hope things will go smoothly with him from now on.
This actually explains a lot. I remember being obsessed with Lee Jun Ki after My girl and tried to search for more of his projects, stage performances, etc. but there really weren’t any. I wondered if it had anything to do with his eyes, because I remember him saying something about his eyes not being like the Korean beauty standards and had considered surgery (so I thought he wasn’t getting that many offers). I hope good things happen to him from now on.
Never heard of the Illuminati, heard of New World Order but not this particular group. Will google, thank you. Everyone should be googling, if they do not know.
Blacklisting works because the fans, who spend the money, are not being aware. Money talks, ear blasting even and with so much force, sad isn’t it.
Never heard of the Illuminati, heard of New World Order but not this particular group. Will google, thank you.
Blacklisting works because the fans, who spend the money, are not being aware. Money talks, ear blasting even and with so much force, sad isn’t it.
Is this why we can’t see JG in RomCom drama untill now?!! Thats unfair I really hunger to see him doing one of these romantic role!! Please make this happen?