Jury IE's Announcement

## **I have come to make an announcement.**

This "contest" will never see the likes of myself ever again, as it currently stands. This contest has shit on my cultures too many goddamn times, and it is so infuriating that this behaviour has continued. I am so sick of the blatant bias towards certain groups and genres. This "contest" is so disgusting in how the obvious fetishization of my cultures is portrayed. As a Korean-Japanese, the insane fetishization of my cultures within this "contest" is something I cannot ignore. I am tired of seeing the same core group of fetishists reigning over this "contest", and the fact that this isn't the first time I have brought my disgust with this practice within this "contest" is revolting. I have said that the "logos" (which are just a manga cover with some text slapped on it) are an infuriating representation of my culture, as is the obvious favouritism towards KPOP. I am tired of these being the only representations of my cultures across media, and I have tried to bring awareness to the fetishization of these things across media. There is a thin line between appreciating a culture and fetishizing it, and this "contest" crossed the line way too much for it to be anything but intentional step on behalf of the hosting team. I have held in my anger and disgust towards this, and I have had enough. I have tried to find my words for too long, and now, here is my ultimatum: The blatant K/JPOP bias needs to stop, as does the logos as they are made. If these demands are met, I may return. But as it currently stands, there is a snowball's chance in hell of me making it back. And on the topic of blatant bias, I need to talk about a large number of entries post my "ban" and the favoritism of people from certain groups. Specifically from 127-131, a number of entries I was going to send were included. I did not spend days listening to these songs for you lot to leech onto my songs. And the salt in the wound for me is that they did way better than I would have ever done with them. It is infuriating knowing this. With the groups, the members from the forums always made up the bottom rung of placements. And yet I could go to Kville and take a random new song from their videos and that would essentially auto top 15, even when there were 60+ people. Ain't that incredible?

To Phirl, I know you have spent a ton of time on this contest, and I can commend that. However, it is awful that the biases which you hold have spread to the contest. As a contest host, it is paramount that your biases are removed and that the contest is fair. Neither of these were true, and because of that, the time which I spent as a participant are tainted. If you want to permanently ban me and add me to the GRP for giving my thoughts as someone who is affected by the actions of people like you daily, then so be it. But this is what I have kept in for almost half a year. My love for my cultures supersedes any "friendships" that I have with people who disrespect my cultures. This is what I have to say. How you react to this will either permanently taint or restore your trust with the participants who are actual humans. This is my ultimatum. Take it or leave it, it is up to you.