'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABmAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYQAAEDAwUBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQABREGExUhIhQjAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBREAAgEDBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFESEiI1Gxsv/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Aral0ZAszEUt12TyVyYjTN1xxfoElU0V7BesVieXuUX8GZksG2vAAMhzAiPSIndKVZx/KZtd+s/bUDLTzW9rE0TlSZmUkeAiEe6//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On March 14, which is the official White Day celebration in Korea, Boys Planet participants recorded a relay cam to convey a message to their fans. Since White Day is a day when men give women gifts in return for what they received on Valentine's Day, the concept adopted by Mnet seemed reasonable and appropriate.
While many fans enjoyed the content, everyone was concerned about the alleged whitewashing of the participants with makeup and highlighting the same with editing. Fans were outraged by the misrepresentation of their visuals because they could easily tell it wasn't the contestants' natural skin tone.
Fans react to Mnet white-washing Boys Planet contestants for the White Day relay cam
Given the huge and stable fanbase for the survival show, many viewers turned to watch Mnet's White Day relay cam recorded by the participants of Boys Planet. As they showcased their support for the trainees on the new content, they couldn't help but notice the whitewashing that Mnet had done to the participants.
Most participants appeared to be wearing the same foundation shade paired with a lip color that only made them look paler. Additionally, the bright lighting and editing they did in the video to hide their natural skin tones disappointed fans further. Soon after the video's release, many fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the prevalent issue of whitewashing in not only Mnet, but also the Korean industry in general.
Mnet, in particular, has had many instances where it has whitewashed almost all the K-pop idols who appear on their show. It has become a norm so much so that fans get surprised when they aren't whitewashed. Especially with Boys Planets, throughout the episodes released so far, no participant's real skin tone was close to being truly represented by Mnet, and while this was expected, fans believe that the company went a little too far for the White Day relay cam.
Fans found Mnet's attempt at whitewashing upsetting and frustrating because not only were the participants' true charms and visuals hidden away in an effort to make them look pale but their actual identity was misrepresented in the channel's effort to conform to idealistic beauty standards. They did not hesitate to call out Mnet for its unjust actions towards the Boys Planet contestants.
Mnet releases White Day relay cam of Boys Planet contestants
The White Day relay cam released by Mnet consisting of the Boys Planet contestants had the trainees communicate the personal messages they had prepared for their fans. Dressed charmingly and carrying romantic accessories like flowers and candy, the participants spoke one after another through the camera in a first-person manner.
Each contestant had a solid thirty seconds in the thirteen-minute video to convey their messages and gratitude to their fans, leaving the viewers unavoidably swooning at their charisma. Alongside appreciating their visuals, fans have also been actively voting and spreading the news about the same to support their favorite trainees.
As more people bring attention to the consistent whitewashing that Mnet's been guilty of for a while now, fans hope that the same will be reduced not just in the upcoming Boys Planet episodes, but also in other Mnet content.
