Comedian Kunal Kamra controversy is in the news. Following his statement about Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, the demand for boycott of comedian on social media is fast. But it has to be understood that the cancell culture is a two -edged sword, in which one day you are stars and the next day your fans try to erase your existence. This is most brutally in South Korea, where public investigation can eliminate any career and sometimes it can become a threat to life. Cancel culture has also ended the career of many stars in Bollywood and Hollywood. But the question is that when the way of holding someone responsible is like a public hanging, is it correct?
The entertainment industry of South Korea works under a very strict social contract, in which celebrity should be immaculately correct and beyond criticism. Even a small mistake can eliminate career. The image control in K-pop and K-drama industry is very strict and public anger can destroy the career of any actor or idol in one night.
Actor Kim Suu-Hun, who is known for “It’s OK to Not Be OK” and “My Love from the Star”, got caught in a controversy when allegations were reported about his relationship with Kim Sai-Ron. The controversy increased after allegations of their relationship with a minor. Kim Suu-Hun’s agency dismissed the allegations, but by then there was a lot of damage. One million followers were reduced from his Instagram, he was attacked online and companies like Prada broke the agreement with him.
Kim Sai-Ron had already faced a cancel culture in the DUI case. Despite trying to apologize and improve many times, he was not publicly waived and was dropped from the industry. This continuous response has a profound impact on his mental health, which makes it clear that there is often no place for improvement in Korean cancel culture culture.
Outrage in Bollywood is also increasing
Although the cancell culture in Bollywood is not as fast or cruel, it is very much related to media trials and public resentment. Riya Chakraborty’s case is an example of this.
The death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020 took the form of national discussion, and made his girlfriend Riya Chakraborty a victim of media anger. Even though there was no concrete evidence against him in the court, the public had already convicted him. The brands broke relationship with him, he did not get acting opportunities and his image was tarnished.
However, Salman Khan is such Bollywood stars who have been untouched by cancell culture. Despite being involved in many controversies, such as hit-and-run case and allegations of hunting black deer, his career is still intact. His fans always stand with him and his films are successful at the box office.
Now know the condition of Hollywood
Cancel culture is also fast in Hollywood but there is often a way to return. Some stars such as Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr. have made a comeback despite controversies. The Hollywood icon, Drew Barrymore, recently faced a dangerous situation when a stocker was trying to enter his house. Similarly, Taylor Swift and Sandra Bullock also faced unusual and dangerous behavior with their fans. In Hollywood, a kind of devotion-equal ideal with stardom becomes an ideal, which puts these stars in the real world.
Social media and mental stress
Cancel culture is directly associated with the epidemic of that loneliness, which is spread in today’s society. After the arrival of social media, many people have started having a personal relationship with celebrities, ie unilateral emotional engagement, in which fans feel that they know the stars personally. When these stars do not live up to those expectations, fans feel intense betrayal, which leads to anger and cancell culture.
Platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Ticketkock have created a close illusion between stars and fans. Fans feel that they know their favorite stars personally, causing great reactions to mistakes. This is the reason that cancel culture becomes even more ruthless.
What is the way forward?
The basic objective of cancell culture is to hold people responsible. But the line between deciding this responsibility and the justice process of the crowd is becoming blurred. In South Korea, there is no way to improve for celebrities. In Bollywood, selective outrage only decides who to suffer and who is not. In Hollywood, a dangerous type of celebrity worships cancel culture, which gives rise to mental and physical threats.