I notice there have been arguments over “ If cosplayer using make up to look like another race is an act of racist". People attack a non Asian person for using tape and foundation darker than his/ her skin tone to cosplay Oh Sangwoo from killing stalking. As an Asian, here is my view:
I don’t find it offensive at all.
I’m not sure about cosplay culture outside Asia, but in here , there are only two goals:
1. To look as much like the character as possible
2. To show your love for the character
There is no boundaries in the use of make up, fake eyes lashes, wigs, tapes, contact lens …. And we do not care about the race of character like we do not question why school girls in Japanese animations has pink, purple, blue, blonde hair. Like… these appearance are completely non Asian looking.
We really do not mind changing skin tone, hair colour, eye colour to look different from the way we were born.
In fact, way back in our history / tradition, we like doing it.
There were ladies painting themselves white and red. There was a judge who was famous for having a black face, which enhance his prestige. Asian not looking like Asian? Not a problem.
These culture are still in our stage drama, opera, and developed into pop culture as well. Girls wearing black make up called 109, visual rockers wearing white make up… Make up brand launch foundations for cosplayer to whiten / darken skin.
Dying hair into blonde, brown is so common here. I myself also colour my hair to ginger since I like the Weasley family form Harry Potter.
We change our skin colour and the rest of appearance so often, it’s like changing clothes.
We do it for aesthetic, for fashion, for cosplay, for passion over foreign culture…. any reason you can name, but definitely not to mock other race. And it’s definitely not racist.
I believe people who attack the Oh Sangwoo cosplayer are trying to defend Asian. I respect your good intention. But we do not find the “yellow facing” offensive.
If you wish to respect Asian, please also respect our make up culture and cosplay culture, instead of focusing on our colour. Every colour is beautiful.
If “______ facing” is not acceptable in your country. I respect that. But please do not attack Asian cosplayer for doing so, like what happened when Pion Kim cosplay as a Mexican hacker character SOMBRA from Blizzard Entertainment's game Overwatch. The cosplayer is Korean. She is not bounded by your values.
Cosplay is an act of love, lets just have fun and keep hates out of it.
Also, please be reminded that, people on internet, are people. Say something nice.
* People in the photos are all Asian
* Whitewashing in Hollywood is another thing since it’s about job opportunities. Do not mix thing up.
