Filipino Super Junior fans called out pre-noontime show “Tropang LOL” for including a question about the death of Eunhyuk’s father in its trivia segment.
In the show’s Maritest trivia segment, comedian Pooh was asked which among the Kpop groups canceled their concert after the father of one of the group’s members died.
The comedian was given the choices Super Junior, Seventeen, GOT7, and SHINee.
Pooh admitted that he is not updated about Kpop developments, so he resorted to choosing the lifeline option and sought help from the show’s cast members.
The cast danced along to the background music when they were called to give their answers. They also exchanged banter about Super Junior’s concert and the reported demise of Eunhyuk’s dad.
(1/2) am I being too sensitive if I say they shouldn't have asked this lalo na bc it just happened last Sat?? ik na medyo big news siya here sa pinas pero?? also sana manlang itama yung term bc it's not cancelled but postponed. let the host know it too.
next vid on the reply pic.twitter.com/jigKKmD2st
— mira ◟̽◞̽ (@labeldne) August 11, 2022
Super Junior’s agency Label SJ announced the passing of Eunhyuk’s father last August 6. Eunhyuk was not able to fly to the Philippines for the scheduled concert.
Before this announcement, Choi Siwon also announced that he would not attend the group’s concert in Manila after testing positive for COVID-19.
READ: Super Junior’s Choi Siwon to skip Manila concert after testing positive for COVID-19
The two subsequent developments led to the decision of the Kpop group to postpone the Manila concert. The group held a meet and greet with the fans instead.
#CancelTropangLOL
Meanwhile, Filipino Super Junior fans, also known as Elf, were ired by “Tropang LOL’s” question, which they deem “insensitive.”
They called for the show’s cancellation, making the #CancelTropangLOL trend on Twitter Philippines on Thursday, August 11.
“Suju or not. Kpop or not. Celebrity or not. NEVER EVER MAKE JOKES ABOUT SOMEONE’S LOSS AND TRAGEDY,” a Twitter user said.
“I’m not even a fan of Super Junior, but joking about someone’s loss & using a member’s name as a joke is just so freaking insensitive and disrespectful of you,” an online user said.
“Even if we’re not an elf, we would still react this way, that’s why other Kpop/non Kpop stans are reacting as well, coz we’re talking about basic human decency that you don’t have #CancelTropangLOL” a Twitter user wrote.
Some also demanded public apology from the TV show.
apologize! wala pang 1 week nagmomove on pa lang mga ELFs tapos ginawa nyo to? sobrang basura na ba talaga ng show nyo?
#CancelTropangLOL https://t.co/2OvoxynUk8— 슈퍼주니어 엑소 영원히 (@Harperheart5) August 11, 2022
Happee Sy, the COO of Pulp Live World, the producer of Super Junior’s Manila concert, took to Twitter to also express her dismay over the variety show and how it aired a question perceived as “thoughtless.”
In a lengthy Twitter thread, she cited that the postponement of the events last August 6 when the concert was postponed was a “painful time” for fans and the Kpop group.
“What happened last August 6 between ELFs and SJ can never be understood by common folks. Only those who had followed them all these years can.. for me, I started last 2009. That’s 13 years of friendship and familiarity.. they have become family.. it was a painful time for all not just for the direct family, but for me & everyone who had been with them for yrs,” Sy wrote.
“When they hurt, we hurt. That’s how it is. We turn to them during our lowest moments, & they’ve learned to trust us with their vulnerabilities during theirs. It was a bittersweet day last Aug 6,” she added.
She acknowledged that some may not understand the feelings of Kpop fans but she underscored that not everything must be turned into a joke for “content purposes.”
“Some may not understand it, I get it, we’re used to being the ‘weird’ ones.. but even if you don’t understand it, there should still be a line of decency upheld,” Sy said.
“Not everything is a joke, let’s not normalize stupidity & tactlessness. Nowadays kasi parang lahat na lang ginagawang oke or ‘for content purposes’. Para lang maging trending, wa nang pakialam sa mararamdaman ng iba. Huwag naman sana ganun,” she added.
Sy also defended Kpop fans and said that they just know when to defend “the people they care about and when to stand up for what they believe in.”
“Instead of normalizing the ugly sides of human nature, why not emphasize on ‘accountability’ ‘principle’ ‘honor’ ‘respect’ yan ang mga bagay na parang nawawala na ngayon, lalo na pag gusto mag trending or mapansin. PS. Postponed Lang Po,” she concluded in response to the “Tropang Lol” host Alex Gonzaga’s hope of rescheduling Super Junior’s concert.
Following comments about the variety show, “Tropang Lol” deleted a screenshot of its question. The video of the segment could still be streamed online.
