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A good source of background info about Jongtae’s performance of “Internet War” from the SHINee reddit

transcript below:

[comment by user @/xiola_azuthra on reddit]:

The following is mainly copypasted from my comment in a thread here from 2 years ago, so please don't think any of my generalizations about fans-in-general is directed specifically at you or your own assumptions (I don't know what your assumptions are and whatever they are they're totally okay!). Some references are below as well.

I just always like to take the chance to bring this up since much of the fandom (especially the international fandom who haven't read the lyrics) has a tendency to always frame the discussion of this performance on the fanservice and homoeroticism elements, when it's actually MANY more layers than that (and the deeper layers are arguably the more interesting an important ones IMO); IMO Internet War is actually the opposite of "pure" fanervice; the fanservice is just the medium they used, but the piece actually has a strong message and some pretty clear symbolism once you check out the lyrics. This is my own interpretation from my own understanding of Jonghyun, the industry, and the lyrics, but YMMV:

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As much as it's definitely a great performance, everyone seems to laud it as "homoeroticism and fanservice" without reading the lyrics and thinking about what it could mean - which, to me, is the more important and interesting part, and I think central to why Jonghyun defended it, why they kept performing it, and why the handcuffed moment at the end is the iconic part for him (the image he chose to post on his twitter during the backlash).

I've linked the lyrics below, they're by Seo Taiji and very, very non-idol like. They're extremely harsh/rude/angry and largely to do with toxic netizen culture; I think you could apply it to both internet trolls and chronically online netizens vs. each other as well as idols-vs-fans or celebrities-vs-the-public... how they are trapped in this cycle of mutually influencing each other, often in toxic ways. I definitely love me some fanservice as much as the next girl (I've been a BL fan for over half my life) and Jonghyun is a king of bi energy and I love him for it, but honestly after reading the lyrics and looking at the symbolism in the performance, I feel like the 2 most notorious parts of this performance are actually far less about the "edgy homoeroticism" and far more of a pretty *direct metaphor* acknowledging the often toxic bondage between idols and fans/netizens/public opinion.

If you add up the lyrics, the words of Jjong's fake tattoos with the names of his fansites, the symbolism in the fact that he's stripped down (vulnerable) while Taemin is fully-clothed (holds the balance of power), then you get this:

Jonghyun is the idol (the fake tattoos say "ideal boy/one in a million/many (all?) of them are the names of his fansites; his job is to seduce the public with an idealized image), and Taemin is the "public" who now wants everything he can give, can't be sated, wants to take ownership of him (cue Taemin feeling him up)... which makes the handcuffs at the end a very literal symbol; I feel like this performance acknowledges a lot of conflicts they are all aware of, but perhaps specifically Jonghyun... anger at all the toxicity they see online, awareness of how they know that they're selling a falsely idealized image, awareness of how a lot of this system is broken for both sides in many ways (ever-deepening parasocial relationships and everything good/bad that that entails), acknowledgement of how the idol/fan relationship changes both of us...

Which is to say, in the end, (IMO) the handcuffs are acknowledgement of the fact that he is quite literally *giving (or selling) his body to the fans (and the public) as a part of this cycle and and is beholden to this metaphorical bondage of idol-and-public-opinion.* And that obviously this is... neither an easy nor a purely "good" thing, despite how idols normally have to present themselves.

I just feel like this gets ignored because "omg Jjong is hot" and "omg JongTae" but... I think it's far more serious than that. It's actually incredibly ironic that there was so much netizen backlash over this at the time, since that's kind of exactly what it's about. >_>

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Lyrics: https://kpopchanted.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/internet-war-%EC%9D%B8%ED%84%B0%EB%84%B7-%EC%A0%84%EC%9F%81-seo-taiji/

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Jonghyun's response to backlash (two translations; he posted this comment + changed his profile image to the back shot of their handcuffed hands) http://www.twitlonger.com/show/itpphd / http://www.twitlonger.com/show/itpqqj

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(P.S. In retrospect it's a little amusing that Jonghyun got backlash for "corrupting" Taemin and pulling his hair, since the Taemin we know now leads me to believe that he totally suggested that bit himself ^^;;;

P.P.S. To address another concern I have seen before - in case anyone is concerned about Taemin's neck; note that there are stage-fight ways to do this sort of thing and they did it for a whole tour with no injury so it was clearly very choreographed. Jonghyun always pulls straight back, not at an angle (angles are less safe for the neck), and in order to make this move look dramatic in a safe way, the person having their hair pulled can throw their *own* head back, with the other person's grip much looser than it looks; if you time it correctly it looks the same.)

#shinee #taemin #jonghyun #jongtae #lee taemin #kim jonghyun #i knew much of this but this is still expressed so well- better than i could put it for sure #internet war #shinee reddit

Jonghyun Oasis

someone shared this in the SHINee reddit and I had to save it here, it’s invaluable

original post link here(click)

post by user @/JustKam347 on reddit-

transcript below:

TLDR: a Twitter account shared these resources that I thought some of you could benefit from, I sure do!

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and there’s often a lot going on in our personal lives as well. For me, Jonghyun has always provided me with a calming oasis of sorts. I’m not suggesting that we ignore the problems, but sometimes, when the going gets tough, it’s nice to have a little thing to help us get through. With that being said a Twitter account shared these resources that I thought some of you could benefit from, I sure do!

Cute Jonghyun Game: https://bluenight.vercel.app

Jjong content without going to social media: https://jjongfort.carrd.co

Blue night quotes in English with illustrations (I think access is unlimited right now): https://issuu.com/juliannefeaver/docs/bluenight_i-94_cover/16?ff

Credit: Flowtee on Twitter

https://x.com/storyoflights/status/1649334641118044160?s=46&t=PgREp4Gf6SJrli8tbVU5Tg

#shinee #jonghyun #kim jonghyun #shinee reddit #jjong t #i’m so obsessed with the jjong game it’s so CUTE #only my shinee could make me play a game on my phone i never play them

From the SHINee Reddit

I especially love the idea that the feather headpiece is a “crown of freedom”, and symbolizes rebirth

It also links back to this idea I saw on twitter:

And this quote is still in Taemin’s insta description ^_^

#taemin #lee taemin #taemin guilty #herman hesse #ltmguilty #guilty mv teaser #shinee reddit #ltmguilty meta #shinee twitter

Reading some Reddit comments on Taemin’s new album and anyone else feel like Guilty is your favorite of his title tracks now? It’s my new favorite, surpassing Advice, and I love Advice A LOT. I think my opinion just reflects that I agree with the generally accepted idea that Taemin is only striving to surpass himself with his solo work, and to me he keeps doing it 💜

I love this comment especially, it says what I’m feeling:

Edit- I also love how this comment describes Guilty (and just like many it seems, Not Over You was also my favorite b-side and The Rizzness surprised me in the best way!)