Sistar alum Soyou received an apology related to alleged in-flight racism at a foreign airport, but she said she will take legal action against rumors that she was extremely intoxicated.
Earlier, Soyou revealed on her personal social media last month that after finishing a New York schedule she boarded a connecting flight Atlanta→Korea and experienced racial discrimination. He said "I was only asking for a Korean flight attendant to check meal times because I was very tired, but the purser judged my attitude and treated me like a problem passenger, and suddenly they called security," and "If I was the problem I would have had to say I would get off, and afterward I had to endure cold looks and attitudes throughout the flight. At that moment I wondered, 'Could this be racial discrimination?' I couldn't eat anything during the more than 15-hour flight, and the experience left a deep wound stemming from racial prejudice. I hope no one is suspected or humiliated because of their race," she pleaded.
After former Hye-ri, questions arose about whether Soyou had also experienced racial discrimination on the same Delta Air Lines flight, but one internet user left a comment on social media saying, "I was on the same flight as Soyou. She was extremely intoxicated on the plane and there was no security," leaving an eyewitness account that intensified the controversy. However, the authenticity of the eyewitness account has not been verified.
Later, on Oct. 20 Soyou wrote on social media, "Before boarding I drank a small amount of alcohol served with the meal in the lounge, but I boarded without any sanctions or problems during boarding. I check meal schedules after boarding every flight to adjust my sleep and condition. This time as well, after finishing stowing my luggage I asked a crew member to confirm the meal time, but I do not have the level of English to communicate perfectly, so it was difficult to continue the conversation," and "Because it was a flight to Korea I thought there would be crew who could speak Korean, and in the process of requesting that my English sentence may have been mistranslated and relayed incorrectly, and then the purser and security staff came. At that time a crew member who could speak Korean also came and helped with the conversation, and it was confirmed that there was no problem at all and I entered the country as scheduled while on the plane," she said.
She continued, "It may have been a misunderstanding, but afterward events that could cause humiliation continued. While moving from my seat to the restroom I met a crew member serving the cart service, and the crew asked me to move to one side of the aisle to allow the cart to pass. I moved as requested and waited for the cart to pass, but the purser told me in a high-handed manner to get out of there immediately. A crew member who heard the loud voice explained on my behalf that I had been there at the request, but there was no apology," and "Also, a staff member traveling with me asked for a Korean menu but they gave another foreign language menu without any explanation, and strange situations kept occurring. The crew member who communicated with me in Korean and helped repeatedly apologized, but regarding all the events that happened after boarding and the cold looks and attitudes that continued throughout the flight, I still feel bewilderment and regret," asserting that racial discrimination was factual and that the intoxication claims were groundless.
About 10 days later, Soyou received an apology from the airline regarding racial discrimination. But she plans to take legal action regarding the unfair intoxication rumors raised by internet users.
On the 31st Soyou wrote, "I am writing to accurately organize the facts because false information and rumors about the events that occurred on the return flight after last week's schedule are still being indiscriminately spread," and "After considering the series of incidents that continued throughout the flight, before landing I wrote my complaints and submitted them via a flight attendant. And this week I received an apology by email from Delta Air Lines. I am grateful to those who empathized with and worried about what I went through and the emotions I felt over the past week, and I apologize for causing concern with a personal matter. Thanks to those who encouraged me for the courage to write, I was able to return to daily life," she said.
She said, "However, false information and rumors are still being indiscriminately spread to the extent that I must write again to correct the facts. I have formally received an apology for the matters that were problematic, so I will no longer mention this in public channels," and "However, I will firmly respond and take legal action against groundless speculation, unverified false information, and insulting expressions that infringe on personal rights. I am sorry to write again with unpleasant news in succession, but I want to correct what needs to be corrected," making a firm stance against the intoxication rumors.
Meanwhile, aside from album activities as a singer, Soyou is appearing on ENA variety show House of Girls and MBC every1's Hidden Eye.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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