140319 SNSD Discusses Their 10-Minute “Black Ocean” Incident on “Healing Camp”

Although they are Korea’s beloved girl group, Girls’ Generation had experienced some difficulty in the past, including a massive boycott by thousands of people.

On SBS’ “Healing Camp,” the girls discussed the top five significant events that the group members had experienced. Among the events, the third topic was titled “Ten Minutes.” At first the girls showed slight hesitation, but eventually the members discussed about the boycott of the 2007 Dream Concert that left the girls to perform in the dark for ten minutes.

YoonA mentioned, “For ten minutes the crowd did not make any sound, and did not clap. We started the performance in silence.”

Hyoyeon also added, “Since we were focused on the stage, we didn’t know, but since it was dark we only saw the pink lights.”

Despite Girls’ Generation’s fanclub, SONE, waving their pink light sticks throughout the girls’ performance, the rest of the stadium went dark due to the other fandom turning off their lights. The severity of the boycott had even gone as far as the other fandom chanting “Wonder Girls” during Girls’ Generation’s performance.

Furthermore, the girls also revealed how they were boycotted in a China concert.

Leader Taeyeon said, “During an SMTOWN concert in China, the crowd held up red light sticks and made an ‘X’ sign with it. In regards to the boycott experienced by Girls’ Generation, former Fink.l member and current “Healing Camp” MC Sung Yuricommented that during her time in Fink.l, the group would also experience boycotts where other fandoms would turn their backs as the group performed. Thus, as Sung Yuri expressed her experiences of having performed at the sight of the backs of other fans, it is a reminder that the fan culture in K-Pop remains powerful in the music industry.

Yet, as Girls’ Generation has been able to change the public’s mind with their breakthrough songs, the girls remain as Korea’s top girl group with a stable supporting fandom. Luckily, the current reactions of anger and annoyance by Korean netizens towards the idea that such boycott had occurred, show that the culture of K-Pop fandom may be maturing.

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