Rush Hour singer Crush apologises after being accused of racism for ‘snubbing dark-skinned fans’ while giving high-fives | The Sun
RUSH Hour singer and Korean R&B artist Crush has apologised after being accused of snubbing dark-skinned fans while giving high-fives.
The singer-songwriter, whose real name is Shin Hyo-seob, came under fire after appearing to avoid his Black supporters at the 2022 Someday Plemora festival in Seoul, South Korea.
He insisted the incident was a "misunderstanding" and that he did not engage with the section of fans as a "safety precaution".
During his performance on Sunday, Crush was seen cheerfully greeting fans and high-fiving them as he moved along the stage.
But while the star acknowledged several people among the sea of hands, two Black women claim they were ignored due to the colour of their skin.
The pair accused the 30-year-old of "skipping over" them despite waiting in the rain to see him perform at his comeback gig.
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Twitter user @tulipyeo shared footage of the alleged incident, saying she "wants other people to know what he did".
In the short clip, Crush can be seen touching the hands of a string of fans before appearing to raise his hand and signalling to fans to stop.
The social media user claimed the gesture was directed at her and her roommate as they stretched their arms toward the singer.
She fumed: "We r both black, she just has lighter skin than me! (sic)
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"On top of that a friend of mine moved her hand away so Crush could get 2 me n my roommate but he skipped us n still touched her hand anyways, which she told me after the festival. So. (sic)"
The woman said she was "really really f***ing hurt" by the R&B artist's alleged actions after being a fan for several years.
She rubbished suggestions that Crush couldn't reach her or was obstructed, saying she was "quite literally touching the runway."
The fan went on to claim that South Korean rapper Loco and singer Heize also ignored her and her pal at the concert.
But Crush hit back at the claims in an apologetic Instagram post, explaining he "had to refrain from giving out high fives" in particular areas of the crowd.
He wrote: "I just wanted to address the issue revolving around the audience interaction from my performance last night.
"I've been away for roughly two years and being able to perform on stage with my dearest fans in the audience was such an unforgettable and long-awaited experience.
"So I naturally and instinctively walked towards and reached down to the crowd.
I love each and every one of my fans and I would never discriminate nor favor anyone.
"To avoid further misunderstanding, I would like to explain that I had to refrain from giving out high fives with the fans in particular sections as a safety precaution – fans were getting too close to the fence holding up the audience section.
"I saw that those in the front row were getting pushed against the fence, so I made a quick judgment not to approach for the safety of my fans.
"I sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding that my actions may have caused. I love each and every one of my fans and I would never discriminate nor favor anyone."
The 30-year-old added that he would "pay extra attention" from now on to avoid any future incidents.
However, the fan in question was unsatisfied with his response, saying it made "no sense at all" and completely skirted over the issue.
Korean music fans flooded Crush's Instagram comments with similar reactions, claiming the video clearly showed him skipping the Black fans in the crowd.
Other concert-goers also told of similar experiences with the Rush Hour singer, with one claiming he refused to accept a gift from her.
Crush has recently returned to the stage after being honourably discharged from the military.
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He was enlisted for mandatory service in November 2020 and served one year and nine months.
Upon his exit from the army in August this year, the 30-year-old was confirmed to be in a relationship with Korean singer and actress Joy.
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