Ayla :
I was genuinely so happy when I saw that Jungwon did the dance created by a girl from Kazakhstan. As a Kazakh fan, it made me incredibly proud to see someone from my country receive recognition from such a popular artist. I truly appreciate him for that. I love ENHYPEN very much, and Jungwon is my bias, so this moment meant a lot to me.
However, at the same time, I felt really disappointed when I noticed that he was wearing a Borat T-shirt. Many international fans may not understand why this upset so many Kazakh people, but for us, Borat is not just a funny fictional character. For years, he has been associated with false, offensive, and humiliating stereotypes about Kazakhstan.
Yes, many people say that the movie is satire and has nothing to do with the real Kazakhstan. That is true. But the problem is that millions of people around the world don’t know the difference. Because of Borat, many foreigners have developed a completely inaccurate image of our country. Kazakh people have had to deal with jokes, mockery, and stereotypes for years because of this character. To us, it isn’t just a meme—it has had a real impact on how our country is perceived.
That’s why it was upsetting to see Jungwon wearing a Borat shirt, especially while performing a dance created by a Kazakh girl. It felt like such an unfortunate coincidence. Instead of simply celebrating this proud moment, many Kazakh fans were left with mixed emotions.
I don’t believe Jungwon wore the shirt with bad intentions or wanted to offend anyone. He most likely doesn’t know the history behind Borat or how many Kazakh people feel about it. But not knowing doesn’t change the fact that many fans were hurt. Sometimes, even a small detail can ruin what should have been a beautiful moment.
I still love Jungwon and ENHYPEN, and I will continue to support them. That’s exactly why I hope they become more aware of these kinds of cultural issues in the future. As global artists, they have millions of fans from different countries, and sometimes even something as simple as a T-shirt can carry a deeper meaning for people.😔😔😔
2026-07-18 18:25:35