Miss Earth Philippines 2016 Imelda Schweighart is making enemies left, right and centre with her hatred for K-pop. Photo: Imelda Schweighart/Instagram
Never diss K-pop in a nation that adores Korean pop culture. In the Philippines, former beauty queen Imelda Schweighart is feeling the heat after she said K-pop fans in her country are "losing their identity trying to be like Koreans".
“I hate K-pop. Filipinos are losing their identity trying to be like Koreans. Can we have some pride, please?” the winner of Miss Earth Philippines 2016 said in a Facebook post which has been deleted.
“I’m not sure if anyone can identify with (K-pop stars) but if anyone could, it’s imagining what you could look like after heavy plastic surgery. Insecurity is what they sell. They are not promoting self-love.”
Ooh, OK.
Her post has angered many netizens in Philippines, so much so that some have flooded Schweighart's YouTube page with K-pop lyrics as a retaliation. The 22-year-old beauty queen is launching her career as a singer.
Some have accused Schweighart of being a hypocrite as she had praised Western culture, saying its “influence is top notch and we are under them up to this day”.
Actor Richard Juan called her out on Twitter: "Y dont you celebrate the fact that us ASIANS are finally making a name for ourselves at the global stage. Oh wait, or is it cus you think white is better?"
"Dear Imelda Schweighart, Just b/c Pinoys love K-Pop, doesn't mean they're already losing their identity. Appreciating K-Pop doesn't make Pinoys less Pinoy. On the other hand, you hating K-Pop doesn't make you more Pinoy—that just makes you look like a XENOPHOBIC, ELITIST SNOB," tweeted Francis Baraan IV.
Twitter user @exotoforever chimed in: "Do you expect us to listen to your music instead? To listen to someone with this kind of mindset? You could have promoted your music without hating on something other people like. Not everything is about you or your preference. Hungry for clout? Now eat."
Schweighart, who is of German-Filipino parentage, has threatened to sue those who bash her online.
“I’m filing a case against every single person who has been messaging me under RA 10175 Cybercrime Law for Online Harassment, Invasion of Privacy, cyberstalking and defamation of character,” she said.
