I am not the biggest TV show fan, and I would say reality TV is my least favorite type of show, but there is something so enticing about dating shows. I don’t watch them often, but I love getting involved in the fandoms on Twitter and Tiktok. The most recent one that has taken my FYP by storm has been Single’s Inferno (솔로지옥).
I am a big consumer of Korean TV shows, music, and movies, so seeing it show up was a very normal thing. What I wasn’t expecting was for a specific person to rise above everyone else. Song Jia (송지아). Even if you haven’t watched the show, you’ve likely heard of her. Whether from her terrible taste in men or her mysteriously enticing persona, she has found a new rise to the social news cycle.
On January 17th, Jia took to Instagram, posting a handwritten letter confirming and apologizing for wearing counterfeit designer goods. She apologized to fans, subscribers, and brand representatives for letting them down and promised to educate herself more on infringement and copyright issues. She also mentioned her own dreams of launching a fashion brand, so she understands the severity of this from a corporate perspective. She ends the letter with a promise to “live more responsibly in the future” (앞으로는 더욱 더 책임감을 가질 살아가겠습니다).
When this came out [and she released her controversial debut], there were a lot of mixed responses. The main reason for this was the split between K-fans and international fans. In America or most western countries, this is not typically seen as something even close to controversial. The real issue lies much deeper than that for Korean fans, however.
In South Korea, there is little emphasis on clothing, which international fans seem to be most hung upon. It’s seen as a cultural issue. Korea is a more traditional country, and the issue there is that she lied about the clothes, and not for a legitimate reason either. Jia can be described as 금수저 (“geumsujeo,” translating to “golden spoon”), meaning she is in the top .1% of the South Korean population. She even has a YouTube channel, free지아 (freezia), where most of her content highlights her high-end and fashion-driven lifestyle. With this in mind, it doesn’t make sense for someone like Jia to be purchasing counterfeit designer items.
This is what really has the Korean fans angry. Jia is perceived as being a liar and deceiving her audience.
There are also more legal issues with her controversy. The counterfeit industry is illegal and having it aired on Netflix and TV brings up ethical implications with creative property and a brand’s artistry. It could potentially cause many issues with the show’s networks, and it most definitely will affect her brand deals in the future.
After the allegations, her management company, Hyowon CNC, apologized further, adding fuel to the fire. They claimed she didn’t know she was buying fakes, which is hard to believe considering her interest in starting her own brand. She has since lost followers, including her co-star, Single’s Inferno’s Kim Hyunjoong, and actress Kang Yewon. Jia has also had her parts cut or shortened in popular Korean shows, including Knowing Bros and The Manager.
While I am no master at copyright and ethical fashion practices, I understand why brands and fans would be hurt. I wish people would be honest when things are fake or counterfeit. Accounting for her socio-economic status, I don’t understand why she wouldn’t buy the originals in the first place. I wish the best of luck to her and her career in the future, but it will be hard to win back all the love she lost amidst the controversy. Plus, her taste in men is so bad. Just date me instead.
Words and Graphics by Fai McCurdy.