Viral social media personality Oli London is heating up for her public statement that she is “transracial” and “Korean.”
Although not of Korean descent, London, who is not binary and also calls himself “Jimin,” after their idol from Korean music group BTS, claims he now identifies as Korean and uses the pronouns “they / them” and “Korean.”
“Hey guys. I’m finally Korean. I made the transition,” London announced recently. “I am so, so happy. I finished my look. I am finally Korean guys, I have eyes, I also just had a brow lift. I am so happy. Finally I was trapped in the wrong body for eight years and it’s the worst feeling in the world when you’re trapped and don’t feel like you can be yourself.But ultimately I’m Korean, I can be myself and I’m so, so happy. “
London explained that although people don’t accept it, “Korean” is how they identify with themselves and what makes them happy.
“It’s who I am. It’s in my DNA,” they added. “Although I recognize that a lot of people don’t understand how I identify and may find it unusual… being Korean and feeling Korean is part of who I am and how I feel. And I will never allow just one. no one to wake up, bully or troll to take it away from me. “
London has defended its identity by revealing that it has undergone “extreme lifestyle changes” including moving to Korea, learning the language, eating Korean food every day, using Korean skin care products. and undergoing plastic surgery to physically appear East Asian despite being white.
“All of this shapes me as a person and my identity as a non-binary Korean person,” they concluded.
Already a controversial figure, the London announcement is a bit shocking as London has previously stated, “[I’m] I’m not saying I want to be Asian, as such I will always be white British. “
Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who identifies as black and who also elicited backlash in 2015, spoke to TMZ about the London announcement.
“I don’t know Jimin [London] personally, obviously, so that they can speak for themselves in this regard, but I think the bigger issue here is compassion and kindness, and personal identity is not the big fish to whip up when ‘it’s about someone’s personal choices or how they feel,’ Dolezal shared.
Responding to claims of cultural and racial appropriation that she and London naturally faced, she defended their respective journeys to be “genuinely yourself”. Dolezal also claimed that she does not believe that either is stealing a crop for personal gain.
For its part, London responded to Dolezal’s comments by stating in an Instagram story that they didn’t want to be compared to anyone other than BTS’s Jimin. The 31-year-old spent more than $ 150,000 on 18 different plastic surgeries to try and look like his favorite artist.
London first went viral in October 2018 after Barcroft TV aired two episodes titled “I Spent $ 100,000 to Look Like a K-Pop Star” and “Caucasian to Asian: My Bone Surgery. the jaw to look Korean “.
