July 11, 2013
If you have been following news about Super Junior recently, I'm sure you would have long since been aware of the unexpected speech that Eunhyuk made at the recently held Super Show 5 in Singapore regarding Zhou Mi's and Henry's place in Super Junior. But before sharing my personal views on this whole issue along with a featuring of fellow writer Tiffany's valued opinions, do check out the clip along with the English translation of his message to ELFs below:
Firstly, Zhou Mi and Henry are not official Super Junior members, but Zhou Mi and Henry are official members of Super Junior M. And we … Henry and Zhou Mi as Super Junior M members, are important, and we`ve spent a long time together with them.We have a close friendship with them, and support them like they are family members.
There won`t be any change with their positions nor will they promote with Super Junior. They won’t participate in Super Junior’s albums, nor take photos with us for Super Show posters. They will not have official promotions with Super Junior. I hope you all won’t misunderstand. We just… those two… we truely support them; I hope there aren`t any more misunderstandings.
I think this talk started at last Super Show, when they stood with us for Super Junior stages. That did not have a different meaning. Doing Super Shows with them, and watching them wait for hours in the waiting room after performing only 3-4 songs made us sad. And knowing that they want to stand with us on stage instead of feeling lonely, we thought it`d be nice to bring them up for not all Super Junior stages but ones we.interact with fans. so we brought them up.We hope you all will have same feelings as us, and look at them with warm hearts, and cheer for them. They will not become official Super Junior members. I hope you support them as Super Junior M members. Singapore ELF, sorry to talk about this here. I hope you will all leave safely. Thank you
Roots of the issue
This whole issue of whether Henry and Zhou Mi are Super Junior members is not an new one, just that it recently came back into the spotlight. In reality, the roots of this whole conflict between Henry and Zhou Mi, and ONLY13 supporters can be traced back way into time, when SM Entertainment tried to introduce Henry as the 14th Super Junior member, but had to claim that he was only a member of the Super Junior-M sub-unit along with Zhou Mi due to the backlash of Super Junior fans.
ONLY13 is the simple proposition that Super Junior should only have 13 core members, excluding Henry and Zhou Mi, and is essentially 'nothing but a bunch of hopeless dreams similar to people praying that TVXQ and JYJ will get back together (Tiffany)'. Yet, I do believe that more than just causing hurt to both Henry and Zhou Mi, there was definitely much hurt inflicted on Super Junior, whom ONLY13 supporters had ironically claimed to be protecting, as well. I haven't been following ONLY13 then, but logically speaking, after having hate comments continuously being thrown at right into your face for a prolonged period of time, it is likely that Henry and Zhou Mi will somehow get somewhat accustomed to the constant hatred. The ones that are truly put into an extremely difficult and awkward position are the other 13 Super Junior members themselves. Because really, what should the members do if their beloved fans (and also ONLY13 supporters), whom they heavily rely their idol-hood upon, act so rudely and meanly towards 2 of their members whom they regard as intimately as brothers? Take a look at a few examples of the accounts below:
ONLY13 supporter: I hate Henry and Zhou Mi! I wish they would die! There are only 13 members of Super Junior. Heechul-Oppa, I love you! Kim Heechul: I don't accept the people who bash my members! The fans who try to hurt my friends aren't my real fans!
ONLY13 supporters *chanting*: We will protect Super Junior! Only 13! Only 13! Only-Siwon: Be Quiet!!!
ONLY13 supporters are essentially mostly Super Junior fans.But does this overprotective love that they have of the 13 members in Super Junior really do more harm or good? I believe that they do have the right intentions in what they fight for (they are ultimately acting in accordance to their perceived benefits of their biases in the 13 members of Super Junior then), but perhaps they could have presented themselves in a better light.
Current Situation
Moving back to the current situation, Super Junior largely promotes on their own, and Henry and Zhou Mi carry out their own individual activities and join in Super Junior only during Super Junior-M promotions. This is what all of us are used to seeing, and what we have accepted to be truth. Therefore, the verdict that Henry and Zhou Mi are not official Super Junior members did not really come as much of a surprise. As Tiffany has aptly put it, this move to publicly announce it once again just 'somewhat just makes the obvious even more obvious'.
But this doesn't stop me from questioning if the situation could turned out differently. Well, maybe yes, if Henry and Zhou Mi had been introduced into Super Junior right from the start. Those 2 are immensely talented members - Henry who is musically very inclined, and Zhou Mi who has great vocals, anchoring down the melody in many parts of Super Junior-M's songs - and being restricted to the sub-unit really does not do their talents much justice. But now that history has clearly written for us that Henry and Zhou Mi only joined in later on, it is unlikely that Henry and Zhou Mi will ever be official Super Junior members. I find Tiffany's offered perspective of this issue to be rather true: 'Realistically if Eunhyuk never cleared it up or maybe said "Henry and Zhou Mi are in Super Junior", not only would there still be hatred for Henry and Zhou Mi but people would be angrier that they added two more members which aren't apart of the 13.'
Moving on from here
Now that it's officially been announced that Henry and Zhou Mi are not Super Junior members, let's not dwell on this whole issue any longer, but help this duo to start a new chapter of their lives by not have any further prejudice against them. It had most likely been their company's decision to place them in Super Junior-M in the beginning, and it certainly wasn't part of the deal that they had to face so much ridicule, criticism, and death threats from ONLY13 fervent supporters, but they endured them all. Besides supporting Super Junior, I hope fans understand that Henry and Zhou Mi are essentially part of the larger Super Junior family, and continue to extend support to them for their Super Junior-M promotions and future endeavors as well, even if they aren't core members.
What are your views on this whole Henry, Zhou Mi and ONLY13 supporters conflict?
Information source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Only13&defid=6003079
Photo credits: http://seoulbeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/20130707_seoulbeats_superjuniorm2.jpg (do check out Seoulbeats, they have several great articles about this topic too!)
Like our stuff? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
ONLY13 has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in the K-pop world.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Super Junior isn't even 13 members anymore! Hankyung is officially out of the group (and wasn't active for years before that) and Kibum hasn't been active since 2007, and I doubt he'll ever return.
In reality, Super Junior needs Zhou MI and Henry to stay 13 members, especially if the rest of the members are going to take turns being inactive (for military) for the next few years.
I know, right?!
ReplyDeleteFor years, Super Junior hasn't even been ONLY13 so holding onto the 'ONLY13' bit is basically like holding on to false beliefs and delusions. Even if Kibum came back (which he won't--he's long gone), Hankyung's living a different life--gone from Super Junior and will definitely not come back if that means having to go back with SM Entertainment.
Exactly... Henry and Zhou Mi have done more than Kibum has done since they've been added. To keep the ONLY13 lasting, they need open-mindedness.
Whenever I see an article about ONLY13, I feel like I HAVE to express my frustration, anger and disgust over the entire thing. The lack of common decency and respect that some people show idols is a constant source of annoyance and anger to me (Hi, sasaeng and anti fans!).
ReplyDeleteI can understand that with regards to larger idol groups (like SuJu) that the threat of member changes is very real, and I can honestly understand the anxiety it might bring to very devoted fans. I personally dislike member changes in established groups, but they are sometimes necessary for the groups' survival and success.
What absolutely KILLS me about the ONLY13 movement is the complete indifference to SuJu's progress as a group, the internal group dynamic, and the quality of SuJu's music, which are all important to a groups' chances of success and longevity. If Zhou Mi and Henry had been "all-face, no-talent, all-waste" additions to the group, I might have been more sympathetic to objections to their inclusion in SuJu, but they are not. Henry and Zhou Mi are arguably among the most musically gifted members of SuJu, and certainly better suited to be singers than half of the regular SuJu members.
It should be only12.. seriously, Han Geng quit Super Junior... but this article is just so sad (for Zhoumi and Henry)... anyways, they are both talented and I wish them good luck for the upcoming years...
ReplyDeleteI dont even understand what are the only13 group barging about? are they silly? we all know that now super junior is not 13 anymore. hangeng and kibum (I feels that he's already leave super junior) had left super junior. and what the hell are they saying about that only13 thing? I feel pity of henry and zhoumi. :(
ReplyDeletebut Henry, Zhoumi oppa is part of Super Junior as Super Junior M has some members of Super Junior like Ryeowook, Siwon, Donghae,Eunhyuk, Sungmin. so dont say that kind of words about Super Junior oppa s!
ReplyDeleteOnly 13?heart breaking as I seen Both Zhou Mi,Henry Oppa are very talented in every thing. Stop the only 13!!!!I only support only 15!even I am a EXOtic. Didnt you guys not readed the letter that Henry Oppa wrote???if you readed it then learn to stop only 13 you ELFs. I cant believe this is stil going on.
ReplyDelete