[Naver post] On the Media’s exaggerations aggravating a witch hunt on Rain, and extreme pettiness over a missing hat.
— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Past image of Assistant Training Officer Jung JiHoon (Rain) of the 5th Division in early 2012. Image credited as tagged.
A blogger on Naver expresses his or her opinions on the Media’s responsibility when it comes to the furor against Rain, and his military controversy, along with news sources and links. Well written, thought out, and compiled. ^@@^
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On how the press media’s exaggeration of the number of leave days granted to Rain aggravates the public’switch hunt … and on the extreme pettiness of the controversy over the missing hat..
Source: C양’s Place / 씨양 (Ssiyang) @Naver blogs
Posted: 1/5/2013
English translation: 화니 @ The Cloud Rain News Board
On how the press media’s exaggeration of the number of leave days granted to Rain aggravates the public’switch hunt … and on the extreme pettiness of the controversy over the missing hat..
– An absurd calculation that indiscriminately counts required visits to the provinces for military performances as well as overnight practices in preparation for performance work at the Expo as vacation days!!!
Imagine how exasperated you would feel if you went away on a business trip for ten days to perform work for your company, and then you were told upon return, “Well, anyhow, you were away from the company so this means you were absent from work for ten days? Why have you been absent so much?” This is exactly the situation that Rain is facing at the moment in regards to the controversy about his military leaves.
Rain went to the provinces because he was ordered to give a performance, and he also dutifully stood on the Expo stage just as he was ordered. Since it’s the military we’re talking about, if you’re told to crawl, you crawl, and so it was that Rain went off to comply with his orders.
Such trips for military work included the 19 days Rain spent giving “K-Force Special Show” performances, and 25 days of his stage rehearsals and recordings for various events. Now, however, the press media bundles all these events together and refers to them as vacation days.
The media’s logic appears to be that just because Rain did not sleep in his own military base on those days, such overnight leaves should all be regarded as vacations regardless of whether he was away to perform his work duties. This is indeed an absurd argument.
What exactly is the number of days Rain received as actual vacation days over the courses of his service as a member of the Defense Agency for Public Information Services? In truth, it amounts only to 27 days.
The 27 days of vacation were exaggerated into a total of 71 days by the gossip mongering media by adding on trips made for military work. What an unreasonable calculation this is indeed!
[Special News Report]”It is a distortion to claim that Rain used a total of 71 days for vacations and leaves” (Shin In Gyun) http://news.ichannela.com/politics/3/00/20130105/52072657/1
Representative Shin pointed out first of all that the 44 days of overnight leaves granted to Rain for military work duties should be subtracted from the total of 71 days discussed by the media.
Those 44 days include 25 days on which Rain was engaged in choreography rehearsals in preparation for the Yeosu Expo, and the 19 days on which he gave performances for the military’s “K-Force Special Show” program.
Representative Shin argued that”The 19 days on which Corporal Jung performed on the ‘K-Force Special Show’ should be regarded as work assignments rather than as personal overnight leaves. He went to the location to perform his duties just as in the case of expedition training, and therefore those days should be subtracted from the total in question.”
It is a misperception to think that entertainment soldiers rest on days when they are not giving performances. When they are not scheduled for performances, they are without exception ordered to participate in military training. They complete physical training or the 30km march just like any other soldier. Does it seem likely that the budget-strapped Defense Ministry would give these entertainment soldiers free room and board just because no performances are scheduled?
-From an interview with ‘Park Hyo Shin’ from Kookbang Ilbo (National Defense Daily News) – {NOTE: Just so that things are clear, it has come to our attention that this interview occurred well before the current PR workload controversy (before 2012), and as such, is not connected to what is presently going on with Rain in any way. Whether this Korean blogger knew that or not, I’ve no idea. Regardless, the PR workload controversy has been going on for a long time, as far back as 2005. — Stephe 1/8/2013}
There are indeed very many occasions when we give performances all across the country. To begin with, there are 52 ‘K-Force Special Show’ programs scheduled for each year, and then there’s also support work to be performed for various events and radio program performances as well. Often, we go out to work at events even after not getting much sleep, trying to catch a few minutes of sleep on the bus on the way to the performance site, and when we open our eyes, we’re already at the performance site. We finish the performance and get back on the bus, trying again desperately to catch a bit of sleep, and we open our eyes and we’re already arrived at yet another performance site so we begin all over again ..
We frequently give performance out in the provinces, and since the performances end late in the evening, by the time we arrive back at our living quarters it is 1 or 2 in the morning, and the next day we are expected of course to follow the full schedule as usual.
It is not an easy assignment, since we are required to undertake various support work in addition to our basic duties, and we are also to participate without exemption in all of the usual drills that ordinary soldiers complete, including mental training, basic military training, extreme cold weather training and intensive training.
– Furor over a hat regulation violation? Let’s think about this honestly …haven’t you ever seen your own boyfriend, brother, or friend not wearing the regulation military hat while on leave?
How about we now all turn into “hat paparazzi” whenever we meet a soldier on the street, whipping out our cameras to capture whether they are wearing their regulatory military hat? Although there may not be any reward, since it appears that it is our sacred civic duty to expose these soldiers without hats who are undermining the discipline of the army of our Republic and subject they to the furor of our criticism, shouldn’t we strive to fulfill our duties?
-Yeon-Hap News Interview with ‘Im Tae Hoon’, Director of the Center on Military Human Rights –
To begin with, I am against the decision to refer the issue to the disciplinary committee. The reason for this was that Rain was not wearing his hat when he was out on leave. If this violation is to be punished, than to be consistent all soldiers who walk with their hands in their pockets should also be punished. This type of punishment is wrong.
Regarding the criticism that Rain had private meetings while on leave for official work duties:
It is possible that a soldier may go to a convenience store, for example, or take care of a little bit of personal business at such times. Also, if a soldier’s home is in Seoul, it’s also conventionally considered possible that he might briefly meet with a friend. I think it’s excessively harsh to impose such regulations with absolute strictness (only in the case of Rain).
What shall we do now?
It appears that henceforth Korean soldiers will be told that all outside visits made for their military work will also be counted as vacation day, that soldiers will be the target of hat paparazzi if they should ever be caught without their hat or with their hands in their pockets and that even if their home is just across the street, that they must never, ever meet with a friend, their parents or their girlfriend while off base and must return the second they complete their work, and that if they choose to get a ride in their parents’ car on the way back to barracks, they will be referred to the military’s disciplinary committee.
How is this not absurd? 2013 has barely begun, and already we are witnessing a true farce.
Source : http://blog.naver.com/syidsyid/110155888241
English translation by 화니.
Cloud USA 
I’m happy this situation is over for Rain! It’s a week, I know it’s gonna be hard for our man cuz we know how hyper he is but that’s his punishment and he must do it. I think he received a week cuz the military knows that they are not squeaky clean. It has being known that CEO’s sons and high ranking officials’s sons as well as other entertainment soldiers receive special treatment and their procedures are not as strict as they should be too so they gave Rain the time they probably will give to their own sons. Besides, the thing was turning into a bigger problem by the minute, the media was looking around for evidence, showing pictures, etc. It was time to end it before other stuff came to light. Netizens were rabid, they will never be satisfied and they wanted a lot more but now the punishment is real so I hope they quiet down. Sighhh I hope Rain learned something in the process that makes him stronger and smarter.
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Hi Terri…thanks for writng back…i have been a Rain fan for about 3yrs…i am glad theirs an American website dedicated to Rain and his news…
I know the netizens wont be happy about the punishment…because they want him to have harsher punishment…just because they are angry he’s dating kim tae hee and as they say gets special treatment…but i am happy that he has just 1 week punishment…hopefully he learns his lesson and doesnt meet kim tae hee only during vacation time…if the netizens only mind their own business and stay out of others we wouldnt have this problem in the first place…i dont know why they dont like Rain but everyone has their reasons…i like him because he seems humble, not afraid to work and be different, and has natural talent that he loves to show his fans…and You and Stephe do a good job with this site…thankyou
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Hi, Cheetara,
You’re welcome. I’m glad you like our site. We do our best.
I’m glad it was only one week of punishment too. He’s lucky. It could have been a lot worse, if DEMA had given in to the public outcry. But I imagine they looked at it and said, what in the world were you thinking, boy? I can only imagine how embarrassing this is for him. Poor fella.
Below is the English translation of the news from The Cloud, for those of you who aren’t able to access it. I think it’s okay to put up here because it is just a translation of public news. We’ll post an article about it soon. Stephe has been away from her computer today and I’ve been at work. So, neither of us have had a chance to write up anything…
Terri :-}
English translation of this news was done by 화니
[13-01-08][Ytn] Rain who violated the decree on military service, is placed under a period of probation of one week. 화니
Corporal ‘Jung Ji Hoon’ (singer Rain) who violated the decree on military service in the process of dating with his girl girlfriend while off the base for official military duties, has been placed under a period of probation of one week. The degree of the punishment for him is the lowest among ordinary private soldiers.
Therefore, corporal Jung must take time for self-examination by writing letters of apology, only in designated areas inside the Defense Media Agency where he belongs, for a week from tomorrow. He’ll sleep and eat in the same place as his soldier mates do, but he will be excluded from all the usual training schedules. He is alleged to have not raised any particular objection to their decision.
Before this, a Defense Ministry officer said, “Rain violated the degree on military service four times by moving alone not led by any military official in charge while off the base for official military duties and by not wearing his beret.
Source : http://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0101_201301081752067562
English translation by 화니
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Thanks Terri, I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to check the cloud. Thank GOD! They came to their senses and did the right thing and ignored the netizen’s.
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it is being said that Rain has 1 week probation as punishment to reflect on his actions
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Cheetara,
Yes, he has been put on probation and has been confined to his quarters and to specific areas of his division for one week, where he will spend his time writing letters of apology and such.
This was a very lenient punishment, so I know the netizens aren’t going to be very happy. Sigh. I am, but they won’t be.
Terri :-}
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The netizens can go straight to Hell.
I’ll even provide the sunscreen.
Stephe ^@@^
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“The netizens can go straight to Hell.”
Yeah. With no shades either.
Terri :-}
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“The netizens can go straight to Hell.” ~ Stephe
Yeah. With no shades either. ~ Terri
In some gasoline “drawers” ~ BiAlamode
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I understand all Rain fans are disappointed from what’s happen these days, but, let me tell you few things. First of all the parts of interviews are not used correct. The interview of Hyo Shin is not connected with Rain, nor with this things at all. It’s made at time, when nor Rain, nor you were interested by DEMA. He said this after a really hard times and heavy program together with Lee Joon Gi. After February 16, 2012 the schedule of Dema soldiers was made easily and even Hyo Shin who was busy as before looked and feel himself more free.
So, please, be correct with the other fans and other soldiers from DEMA and don’t use everything you find to say how innocent is Rain. He is a soldier, so his work is to be soldier. Nothing more, nothing less.
I wish him good luck with deal this.
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Hi, ale3in. Thanks for your comments.
This entire post was written and put together by a blogger in Korea, and so if that blogger used the interview incorrectly, your beef is with him or her. I respect Hyo Shin greatly, and I am a fan. I collect his music, and I found his thoughts on his experience quite interesting, considering the hardship he was going through. That was the way I looked at the interview — as personal insight from Hyo Shin that I hadn’t heard before, concerning his own situation, and I shared it for that reason and that reason only. It isn’t needed as any “proof” that Rain or PR soldiers are overworked as far as I’m concerned. There is enough of that without it, according to military human rights reps in Korea.
I do appreciate you letting us know when Hyo Shin’s interview took place and why it took place, and I will make a note of that in the post so that everyone is aware.
I don’t use everything I find, nor am I interested in doing so. There would be a lot more than 7 measly posts and their sources concerning Rain’s military infractions sitting on this blog if I did. And Cloud USA has never said Rain was innocent. He should not have been with TaeHee when he was, and he’s going to pay for that.
However, he did not deserve to be dragged over hot coals because of crazy, made-up vacation day numbers (which has been DEMA’s stance all along) and a hat rule that not even the top brass was following, and there is nothing wrong with Cloud USA defending him on those points.
Stephe ^@@^
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I understand you as a fan as a blogger too and I read it’s translation, but as a blogger who always use korean and other language post to translate and repost, I just wanted to say, that posted in this way, even google understands the thingss in wrong way. If you want to post Hyo Shin’s oppinion, he posted about this in his twitter account.
But this interview is from time when the level of hardships in DEMA was more heavy, than now. And this is not only me, who can say it, but everyone who was close to DEMA in the pst few years.
As I said before, wish you and Bi Rain a good luck!
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Thank you! I do appreciate the tip on the interview. I may never have known if you hadn’t spoken up.
Have a good week.
Stephe ^@@^
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Girls the waters are getting murkier by the minute and now Rain is not the only one being fried but the whole military system too!! I’m really glad cuz the media opened a Pandora’s Box that will be difficult to close back! Look at this article in Allkpop that talks about other celebrities going out without uniform, smoking and taking their own cellular phones! Also they talk about sons of high ranking military officers who have special treatment in the military. People are asking for stricter military regulations. We’ll see how this storm ends!
http://t.co/FlhiIgbe
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Terri and Stephe… Seriously from the bottom of my heart I thank you for doing this. Doing this For Rain the man we love flawless or not and for us the true fans that support him and have his back no matter what. What I love about you Terri and Stephe is that you aren’t like those delusional fans that think that their idols can’t do no wrong and they start making stuff up just to keep their idols image clean. But you two come clean with facts and accept Rain’s error. I know you take time off and halt any other personal daily activates to search this up and write an amazing article about it. Thank you. And like dulcie said: you two should get hired to work as Rain’s PR!! I also agree about the book… But not just of his military life but his whole life. All the hardships he faced as youngster and everything else that came included for him to reach that untouchable fame and image he owns. Otl, I don’t even know what I’m writing anymore. Jihoon, come to America with Tae Hee, master the English language and write your book D: Is this too much to ask? Hahaha!!
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Thanks for update Terri and Stephe. You are great investigating reporters
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I am sure Rain will survive because the man has not committed a crime. Career going down my a$$. This man has been through thick and thin through out his life- this is nothing, just a bunch false accusations. Thank you, CLOUDUSA, for keeping it truthful with us with EVIDENCE. But I have mixed feelings… cx this indeed makes me happy but at the same time it gets me angry (?) that some people are still bad mouthing JiHoon based on lies they read at other sites and LORD AKP. I know, I know, I should have stayed away from AKP, but I can sense that they are still trying to bring Rain S^h*t since they have NOT posted a translation where DEMA clears everything out. DDD:
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WOWOWOWO this awesome and truly of the WRITE -UP …well done of the writing
serious ot mayor fact of those DEMA & ROK could that truly ashamed of them both for put Ji Hoon in this trouble and hunt him like this like bia say if they still want this continue e to going to crucify JiHoon, then other soldiers (celebrities or not) get your @sses in line too, because YOU are next
(or at least you should be). @BIA gril u gril gril and THAT RIGHT i am beside you with this if ROK & DEMA denied of this wracking MESS then i have drag a wire like put RAZIO on and have cut those 2 in pieces seriously it time get think done and straight out as well oh Rain went through a lot in ARMY i think it time
for him have hould do a book after his military so they turn the more experiences and what bough to next generation as well …thank for Terri & Stephe have found and put this together really u guy did do much for him and he KNOW in his who cloudUSA always their for him always i hope they think clear i hate to said they recuperated the new and parse and lie same rehash article esp all this new and media NO RESPECT to anything RUDE and unsure what recall and actuated I very don’t understand S .Korean that they rat to disrespected him Rain right want hurt his life even more is not like he from North Korean a war again again GOSH…. leave the HECK of him alone as well i just wish he come to USA ASAP get this place and grow his population in USA then LOCK in SEOUL…. ashiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 😦
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Aha Terri!! I am sure you would do an impeccable work on the English version, indeed.
Regarding all the fuss about the hat, the leaves uhg!. One word: Absurd. *rolling eyes*
Adri ★
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thanks for this, it is very informative and it’s nice to know that others are seeing the hypocrisy and idiocy that is going on over there regarding Rain.
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Finally it seems a tide is turning…albeit a “slow” tide. Thank you Stephe and Terri for finding these “needle in a haystack” articles that expose the TRUE absurdity of the charges leveled at Bi.
Bottom line, if the ROK Army is going to crucify JiHoon, then other soldiers (celebrities or not) get your @sses in line too, because YOU are next (or at least you should be). It would only be fair they be punished as well. Thank you Park Hyo Shin for your candor. I know You are happy to be out of all this mess for sure. I don’t think the army counted on Rain actually having public support speak up and out ON his behalf, so now they get to be called out for THEIR hypocrisy. This is probably why they are taking so long to issue a statement. They’ve got to satisfy this public outcry that started the whole “situation” as well as save face for their own double @ss backwards standards.
The last paragraph of this post…..”What shall we do now?”……says it all and sums up this lunacy quite nicely.
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WOW! Bravo Terri and/or Stephe, that’s some investigative reporting. RainyEnt should be hiring you guys for RAIN’s PR work. I hope one day you’ll be able to meet him and he thanks you for all your hard work.
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I agree it has been a witch hunt. It is time for reform in the KOREAN MILITARY. Military policy has not changed in a little more than 50 years. This is due to the fact that NO OFFICIAL PEACE TREATY was signed after ARMISTICE was agreed upon. (The Boarder line between North KOREA and South KOREA better known as the 38th parallel) Which is also the reason they sill enforce Mandatory Enlistment.
The Ministry of Defense Gave an account for RAIN’s Vacation Days earlier this week corporal Ji-Hoon has only taken 28 day total, the rest Are rewards for fulfilling his duties. All soldiers are able to receive extra vacation days. Dema dose this to keep moral up, and I commend them on this. However the explanation of celebrities is no better than slave labor. And to drag a man of honor and integrity name through the mud the way that Corporal Ji-Hoon’ s name has been is Bad Business.
The Korean War may be known as the FORGOTTEN WAR. But the WORLD is WATCHING Now. Stop the exploitation of celebrities and change policy.
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Very well written. It’s a shame what DEMA/ROK are doing they need some major over haul’s done. JiHoon should do a book after his military time is up, he’d make another small fortune and if its in English I’d get it.
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Heck,
I’d enjoy reading that too. Although, I must say that I would be beggin Rainy to let me help them with the proofing the English version, before they were sent to any publishers here in the USA. I mean, we all know once that things is in English, it’s still going to need some major tweaking grammar wise. After all, sometimes translators just don’t get it right.
Ad seen on a drink advertisement in Asia: “Choose on! Making you better feeling!”
I see errors in professionally translated works all the time. Drives me crazy.
Terri :-}
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True that. Hehehehe
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Kekekekekekeke!
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Aha Terri,
I am sure you would do an impeccable work on the English version.
Regarding all the fuss about the hat, the leaves uhg!. On word: Absurd. *rolling ayes*
Adri ☆
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Typing mistake, I meant “* rolling eyes*”
Adri ☆
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Thanks for sharing this news & information my Cloud USA Family ^_^
I am hoping & i am praying that Rain can survived for all what he is facing right now.More 7 months he need to sacrifice for his service…After this controversy he encounter i hope he can overcome & he can pursued his best not to do anything that he violated any military rules,he must cooperate to them until he finish to his military mandatory service…I feel hurt & sorry for what happened to Rain really.How very strict they are R.O.K….!FIGHTING Rain!!!
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