Article: 'MAMA' runs into issues getting presenters to attend ceremony in Nagoya...controversy over "Girl of Peace" statue
Source: Daily Sports
Mnet is reportedly running into issues getting actors to attend the Dec 4th event.
An official from Mnet revealed, "“The singers have no choice but to attend because it is a major awards ceremony in the music industry. But the actors are just presenting awards, so it’s not as necessary for them to attend. If they can avoid the controversy, there’s no reason they should go to 2019 MAMA. Right now, the desire to attend this year’s ceremony is not the same as in past years. There is definitely pressure about the danger of going to MAMA now. We have to be careful because we don’t know what the response will be.”
Political and economic tension between South Korea and Japan, which began with issues over trade, has flared up again recently over issues with an advertisement from Japanese retailer UNIQLO. Although the advertisement in question was set up as an interview between two American designers, the Korean branch of UNIQLO subtitled one of the questions in such a way that Koreans interpreted it as a comment on the Japanese colonial occupation of Korea and the issue of comfort women.
This has drawn renewed attention to the choice of Nagoya as a location for 2019 MAMA. In August of this year, a statue called “Statue of a Girl of Peace” was part of an exhibit at an international arts festival, Aichi Triennale 2019, which took place in Nagoya. The statue is a South Korean work that is designed to represent comfort women (a term that refers to women who were forced into sexual service by the Japanese army during World War II). Due to controversy, the exhibit was closed within three days.
'MAMA' has always had a positive response internationally due to its large scale and splendor but this year's atmosphere is different. Due to ongoing criticisms about venue, cultural exchange and political issues, many actors are cautious about attending the event.
In the meantime, 'MAMA' announced the official nominees today and fans can begin voting starting October 24th 6:oopm KST until December 3rd at 11:59pm KST.
- [+1,021, -5] I hope all the actors boycott this.
- [+535, -2] Yeah, just hold it in Korea.
- [+399, -2] Lose Japan..
- [+373, -36] It's good if they don't go but it'll be difficult for them because CJ controls everything from CJ distribution, tVN-OCN etc...Can they refuse if the company representative asks them to go for work? Why curse them when they have no choice in the matter...anyway CJ is the problem.
- [+305, -0] It's not just this year...this happens every year.
- [+102, -2] I hate that my favorite idols are performing there too. I get why they gave up on Hong Kong because of safety reasons but isn't it the same with Japan? CJ is getting more and more problematic every year.
- [+72, -0] They keep calling themselves "Asia's Best" award event yet all the awards go to KPOP idols. Just do the event in Korea ugh~
- [+47, -2] CJ and Lotte are the worst! The pro-Japanese traitors of Korea.
- [+30, -0] Why are you even holding it over there? Does it make sense?
- [+25, -0] I thought it was crazy that they were holding it in Japan in the first place, but Nagoya? CJ is getting too greedy...