Tiger JK apologizes for racial slurs

Korean rapper Tiger JK has posted an apology on his Twitter account for the racist remarks against Caucasians he blurted out during a joint performance on Saturday.

“Once again my sincere apology goes out to all them good peoples, Peace,” he wrote on Tuesday, adding he can’t justify what went on that night.

According to Tiger JK’s recollection, some of the audience repeatedly requested him to dance the “horse dance” from choreography of another Korean rapper Psy’s worldwide hit “Gangnam Style.”

Tiger JK said this infuriated him.

“I told them I ain’t here to make you laugh, not here to dance for you, then it triggered something really dark in me,” Tiger JK said via Twitter.

Then the rapper said he cut all his songs short and went “crazy on all them white folks in the crowd.”

“To Fu** all y’all who think Asians are here to make you laugh by dancing my as*** off,” he said, accusing CNN and Hollywood of making Asians “comic relief.”

The rapper said he is “not proud of being a racist” and that the message could have been delivered without the offensive verbal abuse. But he maintained that he stood by everything he said.

The 38-year-old rapper -- whose real name is Seo Jung-kwon -- is regarded as one of the pioneers who introduced hip-hop music to Korea in the 1990s. He is married to another hip-hop musician Yoon Mi Rae.

The performance, sponsored by Intel and Vice magazine, is a global campaign that supports new and rising artists. While Saturday’s show also featured well-known musicians like Tiger JK and girl group 2NE1, the lineup consisted mostly of underground or alternate musicians.

By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)