Clever Turtles

Recently, Marc Ecko's Complex.com ran a short piece on SNSD. It is pretty much a casual, shallow and snarky review. I've never run across Complex before, but it seems to be an IGN/Maxim knockoff.

For whatever reason, the Korean site Paran Media produced an article about the coverage on Complex. Mostly getting pissy about the snarky tone employed by the Complex writer (the piece is unsigned, incidentally). Never mind that Paran Media probably commands a larger online audience than Complex does -- it's pretty much a second-tier content publisher commenting on third-tier one.

I decided to put down an attempt at translating the article, anyways. Korean coverage of American coverage of Korean media is a really curious thing. The more I read, the more I suspect that the Hallyu phenomenon is hyped up by Korean media companies to encourage investors, so we have very minor inroads into the US market compared to the excellent business they've made exporting dramas to parts of Asia. Perhaps to imply that their international market has the potential for growth, or maybe it's just a narrow-minded boosterism. At any rate, I thought the interpretation of the US article was curious, although I find the actual topic of discussion incredibly insipid.

미국의 남성 대상 사이트인 ‘컴플렉스닷컴’이 한국의 인기그룹 소녀시대의 일부 멤버를 비하하는 글을 게재해 소녀시대 팬들의 심기를 또 한번 불편하게 하고 있다.

The American men-oriented site "complex.com" published a piece comparing members who make up Korea's popular group SNSD, making many of their fans uncomfortable.

최근 소녀시대는 멤버들을 3명의 예쁜이(윤아, 유리, 수영), 5명의 무존재, 하나의 점으로 표현한 윤서인씨의 카툰으로 구설수에 올랐었다.

Recently SNSD has been the subject of increasing criticism, for example in the cartoon by Yoon Seo In representing the group as being three beautiful women and five nonexistent ones.

헌데 이어 외국에서까지 이러한 비하 파문이 이어져 소녀시대는 울상을 짓고 있다.

Subsequent to this slander, this ill-informed comparison spread to other countries, giving SNSD a tearful face. (?)

최근 컴플렉스 닷컴이 '한국의 9인조 여성 그룹을 만나보자(Meet Korea’s 9-Girl Pop Supergroup)’는 제목의 글을 통해 소녀시대의 9명 멤버들을 사진과 함께 소개하면서 이들에 대해 평한 것이 문제가 되고 있다.

Recently, in a piece titled, "Meet Korea's 9-Girl Pop Supergroup", Complex.com introduced the 9 members together and commented upon them.

컴플렉스 닷컴은 써니(19)에 대해 “가족들의 힘으로(family connections) 그룹에 합류했다는 소문이 있다”며 ‘낙하산’ 논란을 제기했고 수영(18)은 "소녀시대에서 가장 키가 큰 수영은 날씬하고 예쁘지만 압구정동에 있는 나무를 흔들면 10명의 수영이 떨어질 정도로 흔한 스타일이다. 서울에 가보면 알게 될 것”이라고 꼬집었다.

About Sunny (19), they said "There are rumors that she joined the group through family connections. Lodging a "parachute" criticism, about Su Yung they jibed, "SNSD's tallest member Su Yeong is slim and pretty, but this style is such that if you shake a tree in Apgujeong, 10 Su Yeongs fall out. If you go to Seoul, you'll understand."

The original comment on Sunny was, "Rumored to have been chosen for SNSD through family connections. Definitely the U-God of the group." It is true that there is this rumor going around, from what little I've heard, and she gets rather ignored by the fans. And the Wu-Tang reference went completely ignored, which is disappointing.

The original comment on Su Yeong was, "SNSD’s tallest member (at 5′7″) is slim and pretty, but get this: Shake a tree in Apgujeong (in Seoul) and 10 SooYoungs will fall out. Seriously, you gotta go to Seoul." The last comment was kind of re-interpreted, I think. The original article used a pretty American idiom that requires some reinterpretation, it is true, but the original was much more direct in considering this woman, and Korean women in general, as obtainable objects of sexual desire.

And what a parachute criticism is, I have no clue.

또한 컴플렉스닷컴은 태연(19)에 대해 “불안한 노래실력에도 첫번째 솔로 앨범을 냈다”며 그의 가창력을 지적했다.

Also, about Tae Yeon, Complex.com said, "Although insecure of her singing ability, she released her first solo album," indicating her singing ability.

Of Tae Yeon, it was said, "The oldest group member was also the first to make a solo record, despite dubious singing ability. Hey, it didn’t stop Nicole Scherzinger. Do your thing, TaeYeon!" Either I misinterpreted the Korean, or the Korean misinterpreted the original English, because my translation doesn't really fit the original.

한편 윤아(18)에 대해서는 “가수이자 배우로 한 번도 남자와 사귀어보지 못했다고 한다. 주여 이 어린 아이에게 축복을(Lord, bless this child)”이라며 비꼬는 듯한 말투로 소개했다.

On the other hand, about Yuna they said, "As both a singer and an actor, not once has she had a relationship with a man. Bless this child." She was introduced in this apparently sarcastic way of speaking.

The original piece actually said, "Long-legged singer-slash-actor recently told an interviewer that not only has she never been in a relationship, she’s never even been pursued by a man. Lord, bless this child." I'm not exactly sure the Korean really read the original correctly . . . I'm not actually sure I read the original correctly, actually. There is sarcasm, it is true.

이밖에 제시카(19)는 “미국에서 자라 영어를 잘하며 ‘얼음 공주’라고 불린다”, 효연(19)은 “2004년 중국에서 공부한 그룹 최고 댄서”, 티파니는 “캘리포니아에서 왔으며 팬과 안티를 반반씩 갖고 있다”고 소개했다.

Also, about Jessica it was said, "Raised in America, she speaks English well. She is called the 'Ice Princess'. Of Hyo Yeon, "The best dancer in the group, she studied in China in 2004." Of Tiffany, "From California, she has 50-50 fans and opponents."

Of Jessica, the original said, "Having been partly raised in the U.S., the so-called “Ice Princess” speaks good English. And sucks a mean lollipop."

Of Tiffany, it said, "The group’s other part-time American has a bubbly disposition that attracts fans and haters in equal measures. Give her a break, Koreans—she’s from California." The Korean writer ignores the significance of the California remark, which is probably the most playful, friendly comment of the article. Particularly regarding Marc Ecko's California skate-punk persona (contrived as it is).

반면 컴플렉스닷컴은 서현(17)과 유리(19)에 대해서는 극찬했다. 서현에 대해 “우리가 가장 좋아하는 소녀시대 막내”라며 애정을 드러냈고 유리에 대해서는 “사랑스럽다”며 호평했다.

On the other hand, Complex.com lavished the highest praise on Seo Hyeon and Yuri. Of Seo Hyeon, they exposed their affection with, "The youngest of SNSD, who we like the most." They remarked favorably on Yuri with, "Like a sweetheart."

The original praise of Seo Hyeon was, "Wouldn’t it figure that our favorite SNSD member is also the youngest. But because Koreans compute ages differently, SeoHyun is actually 18 in Korean years. Would that hold up in court?" . . . yeah.

Of Yuri, they said, "Not only adorable, but an accomplished swimmer as well. Fear of liquids is such a turn-off." The snark really mitigates the praise in the original, I think.

Overall, the Korean writer seemed to pull back from acknowledging the degree to which the English article treated them as hypersexual objects, which is a tone consistent with the rest of Complex.com. This is pretty much keeping with the Korean media's denial of the hypersexual presentation of these girl groups. The rather weaker Korean translation of the "trees in Apgujeong" comment and the elision of the sexual comment on So Hyeon's age is telling; those are the parts of the original article I found most offensive. Instead, the Korean article focuses more on how the English article deviated from the press release and expressed comments that are common in Korean public discussions.

I suspect the author of the original article is a Korean-American, or perhaps a Caucasian who worked as an English teacher in Korea. The Apgujeong comment shows that they are pretty aware of the social class distribution in Seoul, and might be interpreted as a particularly barbed innuendo of plastic surgery.