Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
After T-ara were essentially vindicated regarding their “bullying” scandal — with everybody from the company to T-ara to former members to staff to media spilling the tea — many awaited to see what Netizen Buzz‘s reaction would be. After all, the site’s popularity was essentially built on a foundation of promoting the T-ara witch hunt to international netizens.
Lest we forget, here’s a refresher.
That compilation post about T-ara’s “bullying” of Hwayoung, the one made up of out-of-context gifs and vids that were later disproven (1/2/3/4/5), made NB relevant in a lot of circles. That appeared to embolden the site to continue riding the witch hunt to popularity.
NB laughed at people throwing away T-ara posters and editorialized to say that fellow idols want nothing to do with them. That’s hilarious in retrospect considering that tons of celebs have at least lowkey maintained relationships with T-ara members over the years.
Let’s not forget the time NB tried to promote the conspiracy that Soyeon‘s car accident was faked.
Yeah, fake.
Quite blatant examples of editorializing that shows a bias against T-ara since that kind of stuff is obviously not usually done for other groups.
When Areum left, NB tried to make her a victim of T-ara’s “bullying” by taking advantage of her weird Instagram (and alleged mental health issues) to promote that narrative. In retrospect, of course, we know Areum has consistently supported the current T-ara members since she left the group.
Oops.
—–
Besides my hunger for pettiness, why bring all this up now, right? Well, because rather than at least being honest for once and translating the actual reaction of netizens to the outing of the twin snakes, NB instead continued to be biased.
Essentially, NB choose to translate the comments from Nate that were basically antis saying “all involved are shit anyway” or “gotta hear both sides” or “T-ara are still bullies”, regardless of vote totals.
1. [+801, -61] I’m telling you, both sides are mutually at fault. Hwayoung for acting like a makjang as a late member and the members for bullying her fully knowing she’s a new member. They’re forever enemies~ ㅋㅋㅋ
1. [+208, -68] Whatever the case, T-ara OUT. Seems like Kwang Soo’s pulling some strings for T-ara’s comeback but he should’ve released all of this sooner if he was going to at all ㅋㅋ why hasn’t he released these texts before? ㅋㅋ
1. [+357, -45] T-ara or the Ryu sisters, they’re both trash
There were, of course, comments here and there calling the sisters nuts and supporting T-ara. However, those were few and far between on the less popular Nate compared to what was taking place on the more popular Naver.
1. [7932+, 602-] Hwayoung been exposed ㄹㅇ wonder what is truth between SNSD and Jessica
2. [7619+, 808-] Pretty much everyone know the truth well.. This just nail in the coffin.. She always come out just to mention T-ara everytime on broadcast.. As matter of fact, beside T-ara story she didnt have anything to talk
3. [6855+, 678-] If what the Staff story true, she really come out as Victim cosplayer..
4. [6080+, 534-] Heol.. if that Katalk chat is real
5. [3972+, 375-] Heol…….
6. [1972+, 156-] Its T-ara fault when the publish it through SNS made people easily point a finger at them. But Hwayoung seems have an attitude issues~T-ara isnt completely at fault here if Hwayoung have some kind of issue
7. [1759+, 208-] Bullying is wrong no matter what reason is. But in T-ara case is more like common group dynamic. Hwayoung indeed damaging the group with slacking on practice, I dont think what T-ara did being considering as bullying.
8. [1587+, 178-] On 2011 they really at the peak and its gone due to scandal
9. [1467+, 168-] Think the katalk is real ㄹㅇ I can feel it
10. [1359+, 116-] Heolㅋㅋㅋ Hyoyoung threaten Ahreum is not rumoured but fact ㅋㅋㅋ A few days ago Ahreum send a support message toward T-ara ..ㄷㄷ
11. [988+, 123-] From the start to end people explained it, it wasnt a bullying, just netizen choose to ignoring the fact
1. [1222+, 51-] Public now learning the truth
2. [838+, 32-] This is dog fight
3. [743+, 37-] Hwayoung exposed ㅡㅡ
4. [425+, 15-] Coming for Hwayoung and Hyoyoung.. So how about hyoyoung upcoming drama on MBC?
5. [358+, 50-] Areum T_T
6. [235+, 34-] Ryu sisters is really stupid ㅋㅋㅋㅋ After this far talking about T-ara scandal, feel someday they will get caught ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
1. [5869+, 390-] In the end her true character is show up? Scary..
2. [4485+, 412-] Excuse me, worrying but threatening other people, thats scary ..ㄷㄷ
3. [4039+, 538-] ㅋㅋㅋ What an excuse ㅋㅋㅋ Now its your turn to get punishment
4. [3775+, 287-] But you are not kid at that time
5. [2772+, 167-] Why you send that word to the maknae??? Is not the word you send to barely new member maknae????
6. [1121+, 73-] Im not sure, seems good at manipulation character
7. [1131+, 84-] No one will send message like that right?? Heol;; She easily say will draw a scar on someone face
8. [992+, 82-] If people dont know this, they will keep talking on broadcast with her dirty mouth ㄷㄷ
9. [951+, 50-] This is pointing her true face ㅋㅋㅋㅋ?
10. [798+, 48-] She just admitted the katalk chat ㄷㄷ Still only psycho who able to draw face with knife
11. [719+, 37-] She is not that young, 20 years old right? and Ahreum is only 19 years old that time
12. [580+, 30-] She just reveal her true face
13. [567+, 38-] Dont understand why they targeting Ahreum?
14. [475+, 44-] In the end the fact is coming. Act like victim cosplayer. Poor T-ara ㅜㅜ Feel sorry they need took all damage. I dont wanna see those fake on TV
Apparently not being able to deal with reality, now it’s time to go after Areum again for NB, I guess. Again, majority of this is from Nate.
1. [+726, -180] I don’t trust a word she says, didn’t she leave in the first place because she has mental issues?
2. [+697, -38] I remember she put up weird pictures for a while and talked about being possessed… thankfully she looks a lot better
3. [+631, -175] B*tch, you need to stay quiet too
1. [+238, -20] What is she trying to start now ㅋㅋ how about you all meet up and resolve this in person… enough with the shadow boxing on SNS
2. [+193, -23] Please stop acting up
3. [+101, -36] After reading all the articles, I can see why the Hwayoung sisters had it so hard
1. [+444, -47] I tried to take her seriously at first but now she’s just sounding like a tryhard
2. [+371, -37] She would’ve gotten a lot of sympathy if she just left it at her first post but not anymore.. she should quit SNS before it comes back to bite her ㅎㅎ
3. [+302, -40] Just stay quiet;; the way she talks sounds like those cringy middle school kids ㅋㅋㅋ
Going after Areum to what end? Just as a redirection? I would hope not, she’s been through enough as it is.
—–
Honestly, a part of me thought maybe things had changed when Netizen Buzz posted up the two compilations refuting T-ara’s “bullying” rumors back in 2015. Sure it was about three years late and at least two years after rational people knew the T-ara “bullying” was just a witch hunt, but at least it seemed like a start.
But now, after all the shit the site pulled to promote the narrative of T-ara as bullies to international netizens, to still continue to push that narrative after all that’s come out recently is just shameless.
Look, nobody was expecting a mea culpa or anything, but my god. Then again, I guess it makes perfect sense in a way. After all, why stop doing what helped make the site a success to begin with?
