By Marron Joshua F. Mendoza
Pinoy fans of the South Korean boy band Super Junior and other K-Pop groups made #CancelTropangLOL trending online on Thursday, August 11. They called out the noontime variety show Tropang LOL after they asked an insensitive question about the group in one of its segments.
In the trivia segment “Maritest”, comedian Pooh received the question, “Sa concert scene sa Pilipinas, aling K-Pop group ang nag-cancel ng show sa Pilipinas recently dahil ang tatay ng isa sa mga members ay pumanaw?” with the choices being Super Junior, Seventeen, GOT7 and SHINee.
Since the comedian didn’t know the answer to the question, he used a lifeline where he asked for help from the show’s cast members, who would later dance to the background music and exchange jokes about the group and the death of Eunhyuk’s father.
Super Junior postponed their concert, Super Show 9: Road in Manila, initially scheduled on Saturday, August 6, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, after two of its members, Eunhyuk and Siwon, withdrew from the show following the passing of Eunhyuk’s father and Siwon testing positive for COVID-19. The group instead held a meet-and-greet with fans on that date.
In a statement, Super Junior’s label, Label SJ, asked fans to be considerate and “allow Eunhyuk plenty of privacy and time to mourn.” This request was respected by PH ELFs when Super Junior made a heartfelt speech in their impromptu meet-and-greet event and apologized for the concert’s postponement.
PH ELFs immediately came to Eunhyuk and Super Junior’s defense following the segment’s broadcast, deeming the question insensitive, with some pointing out the difference between “postponed” and “canceled,” the former of which is what happened to Super Junior’s Manila concert. Some even demanded the show’s cancellation and a public apology from the Tropang LOL to Eunhyuk and Super Junior for making light of the former’s grief.
Happee Sy-Go, COO of PULP Live World, the organizer of Super Junior’s Manila concert, also expressed her dismay with Tropang LOL on Twitter. She said that while some who are not K-Pop fans would not understand the sad moment the group and their fans went through on August 6, there should be a line of decency when making jokes for content.
“Not everything is a joke, let’s not normalize stupidity & tactlessness. Nowadays kasi parang lahat nalang ginagawang joke or ‘for content purposes’. Para lang maging trending, wa nang pakialam sa mararamdaman ng iba. Huwag naman sana ganun,” Sy-Go wrote.
Tropang LOL is simulcast on TV5, Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z.