Singer Soyou has sparked outrage by alleging she faced racial discrimination on a flight to Korea she took in the United States. Not only Soyou but also singer-actress Hyeri and DJ Soda previously exposed discrimination, making the issue even more notable.
On the 19th, Soyou posted on her social media, "After finishing my schedule in New York I boarded a flight to Korea via Atlanta. I was so tired and only asked for a Korean crew member to check meal time, but the purser judged my behavior, treated me like a problematic passenger and suddenly called security," she wrote.
She continued, "They even said I should get off if I was the problem, and after that I had to endure cold stares and attitudes throughout the flight. At that moment I wondered, 'Could this be racial discrimination?'" she said, adding, "I couldn't eat anything during the more than 15-hour flight, and that experience left a deep wound rooted in racial prejudice."
Soyou added, "I hope no one is suspected or humiliated because of their race." Fans have also expressed discomfort over the unfair treatment following Soyou's post.
As Soyou's post became an issue, attention has turned to earlier reports by stars about abusive behavior and discrimination by foreign carriers.
Earlier, in August 2023 Hyeri also said she had been subjected to abusive behavior by a foreign carrier. She said she had booked a first-class seat but was forcibly downgraded to economy without a refund.
Hyeri posted a photo of part of her ticket and explained the situation: "I booked and selected seats a month and a half ago, but they said there were no first-class seats and downgraded me to economy. The airline wouldn't refund me and told me to take the next flight if I didn't like the seat," she wrote. "I even booked two seats; how could both be downgraded? It was such an outrageous experience. Everyone, be careful."
In 2022, before Hyeri, DJ Soda shared a shocking experience of being kicked off a plane in the United States because of her pants. DJ Soda said, "After my show in New York yesterday I boarded a flight to LA but was suddenly kicked off right before departure," and said the problem was that her pants had the profanity 'FU** Y**' printed on them.
DJ Soda explained, "I had been wearing these pants, which I received as a gift from an American brand, on a U.S. tour for months without any issues. I was sitting in business seat 1 and even had my welcome drink just before departure when a male staff member came, without giving a reason, suddenly told me to take all my things and leave, and at the plane entrance said my pants were 'offensive' and told me to take another flight."
Because she absolutely had to take that flight, DJ Soda said, "I had an important meeting and couldn't miss the flight, so I said I would change my pants but was refused, and in desperation I had no choice but to remove my pants at the plane entrance where everyone could see. Even after I took them off and was wearing nothing under them, they mocked me, saying why didn't I take them off before boarding, and kept saying they couldn't let me on this flight because my pants were already too offensive and to take another flight. After my team's efforts, I was able to board again with the pants turned inside out."
DJ Soda denounced the airline's incomprehensible attitude and called for a boycott, and netizens also expressed outrage, calling it "racial discrimination" and condemning the airline's unfair action and rude handling.
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS.
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