Yu-na files libel suit against university professor

[VALuvsMKwan]

I am still drinking!

But...is it only something endorsed by Queen Yu Na?

[kwanfan1818]

Not many, but some have. And that's not really the point. Yu-Na may be a multi-millionaire, but I think she should be given a lot of credit for her generosity and her commitment to charity. Most other skaters don't make as much money, and some do charity work, but it's the proportion of her earnings that she gives away which should be applauded.

What proportion is that? Do you have stats on skaters who make far less and what they do both in time and money, and who get far less publicity for it?

I giver her credit for her donations to charity, regardless of the motivation -- some of it, I think, inspired by her conversion to Catholicism -- but you posted "which is more than you can say for any other skater," and, my questions are what other skaters have those kind of resources, markets, and platforms and if they exist, how you know they aren't giving away a lot of it without a lot of publicity? As far as "proportion" of earnings go, the large majority of skaters who are making money from skating are in shows like Disney on Ice, cruise ships, or earn a living through choreography and shows, like Buttle and Lambiel, but they aren't making the fortune that Kim has been fortunate to command from being in the right market at the right time. As far as the best-earning eligible skaters go, Patrick Chan, for example, runs a deficit for his training expenses each year -- and it's likely that others do as well, apart from those who are booked for the entire SOI/CSOI tours -- so what money should he, for example, be giving away?

[RunnersHigh]

Yuna decided to retract a charge against professor Hwang.

Ji-Ahn, a legal representative of Yuna Kim, today announced that they would drop a charge against Prof, Hwang.

"We expected if professor Hwang's vicious slander of a radio interview May 22 was proved false, he would make a sincere apology and Yuna could recover the tarnished reputation. But even with an ocean of objective evidences proving Yuna fulfilled her teaching practice faithfully, he does not yet apologize civilly for spreading the false information."

And added "At this point that everyone knew how diligently Yuna finished her teaching practice, to avoid an irrelevant controversy with this case anymore we'll withdraw a complaint regardless of professor Hwang's apology."

[kwanatic]

I suspect they never had plans to move forward with the lawsuit in the first place. They were probably hoping the threat of a lawsuit would make him immediately recant his words and issue an apology. Once they realized he wasn't going to give the apology they wanted, they decided to drop it.

[Yazmeen]

Well, that just managed to give YuNa negative attention, but maybe it has taught her a valuable lesson. Not EVERYONE will give in to the Queen. It might be better if she learns to pick her battles. While he may have treated her rudely, the one who came off looking bad and entitled here in the end wasn't the professor...

[kwanfan1818]

the one who came off looking bad and entitled here in the end wasn't the professor...

That's too bad if he is an attention whore with few scruples. Team Yu Na missed a chance to cut him down to size.

[Jaana]

That's too bad if he is an attention whore with few scruples. Team Yu Na missed a chance to cut him down to size.

I doubt the team missed a chance, rather this was no case for them to win .

[kwanfan1818]

I didn't mean by suing him: I meant by issuing a statement much in the tone that Orser eventually used with Kim (after the initial shock was over): "Poor Professor X. So misguided. I'll just continue to educate my students." with Kim and class photo.

[agalisgv]

the one who came off looking bad and entitled here in the end wasn't the professor...

I'm neutral on Kim, and when I first read this thread, I thought the lawsuit was overkill. After reading all the posts, I think the prof came across as a supreme jerk.

jmho

[kittyjake5]

I am glad YuNa dropped the lawsuit. It has generated the kind of publicity for Yuna that can come across as a negative in the long run. IMO the professor sounds a bit loopy just my observation. I am sure YuNa has more important things to do with her time.

[Iceman]

So did the school give her credit for her practice teaching or does she have to repeat it?
Very few people in the US have any idea who she is. As far as competitive skating, she appears to be irrelevant now. Imo she won't make the list of "great ones", even with her gold medal.

[kwanfan1818]

Very few people in the US have any idea who she is. As far as competitive skating, she appears to be irrelevant now. Imo she won't make the list of "great ones", even with her gold medal.

Sure they do: she's an Asian woman who won the Olympic gold medal in Vancouver, so she must be Michelle Kwan.

[Yazmeen]

That's too bad if he is an attention whore with few scruples. Team Yu Na missed a chance to cut him down to size.

Personally I think he's a few fries shy of a Happy Meal and a jerk to boot. But YuNa's overreaction reflected badly on her, not him. She could have handled this gracefully by calmly refuting his statements, and she would have looked mature and eloquent; but no, she had to threaten to sue, which made her look more tabloid Kardashian than elegant Kim.

[kwanfan1818]

Personally I think he's a few fries shy of a Happy Meal and a jerk to boot. But YuNa's overreaction reflected badly on her, not him. She could have handled this gracefully by calmly refuting his statements, and she would have looked mature and eloquent; but no, she had to threaten to sue, which made her look more tabloid Kardashian than elegant Kim.

Exactly.

[VALuvsMKwan]

Personally I think he's a few fries shy of a Happy Meal and a jerk to boot. But YuNa's overreaction reflected badly on her, not him. She could have handled this gracefully by calmly refuting his statements, and she would have looked mature and eloquent; but no, she had to threaten to sue, which made her look more tabloid Kardashian than elegant Kim.

Are we sure that Tara Modlin isn't advising her now?

ETA: Perhaps Queen of Heaven Yu Na should learn from Miki Ando how, in situations like this, to issue sugary-sweet, Southern-belle-like, passive aggressive tweets, rather than threaten lawsuits.

[RunnersHigh]

So did the school give her credit for her practice teaching or does she have to repeat it?

She earned credits, a plaque of appreciation from students at Jinseon girl's high school and words of encouragement from quiet normal persons.


From this commotion, Yuna could learn how to treat such a crazy.

[Japanfan]

I giver her credit for her donations to charity, regardless of the motivation -- some of it, I think, inspired by her conversion to Catholicism -- but you posted "which is more than you can say for any other skater," and, my questions are what other skaters have those kind of resources, markets, and platforms and if they exist, how you know they aren't giving away a lot of it without a lot of publicity? As far as "proportion" of earnings go, the large majority of skaters who are making money from skating are in shows like Disney on Ice, cruise ships, or earn a living through choreography and shows, like Buttle and Lambiel, but they aren't making the fortune that Kim has been fortunate to command from being in the right market at the right time. As far as the best-earning eligible skaters go, Patrick Chan, for example, runs a deficit for his training expenses each year -- and it's likely that others do as well, apart from those who are booked for the entire SOI/CSOI tours -- so what money should he, for example, be giving away?

But the skating world is a monied one, in general. Although the majority of skaters don't earn much, many of those in the elite group do very well, coaches included. For example, I was quite surprised to learn that Joanne McLeod has oceanfront West Vancouver property worth a few million.

Among those, I'm sure that some give more to charity, some less. Just like everyone else. Mike Weiss's scholarship fund is just one example of such charity. All the charity performances to help Japan is another. And many skaters give the stuffed animals that are thrown to them on the ice to hospitals.

I've venture to guess that a high percentage of elite skaters are involved in charity in one way or another. It's also seems to me that I've heard of skaters being scheduled to make visits to sick kids in hospitals, stuff like that.

Giving to charity feels good, so both the rich and not-so-rich do it, but it doesn't necessarily make anyone particularly special.

The very wealthy routinely give to charity. Sure, some are more admirable in their efforts than others. But giving generously to charity when you have more money than you could ever use doesn't IMO quality a person as a great humanitarian.

[kwanfan1818]

It generally takes several generations of wealth before people donate substantially to charity.

Because I give her credit for giving away millions when she didn't have to give away a dime doesn't mean I think she's Gandhi.

[Japanfan]

Because I give her credit for giving away millions when she didn't have to give away a dime doesn't mean I think she's Gandhi.

Credit is certainly due to Yunah, for sure.

[EricRohmer]

I doubt the team missed a chance, rather this was no case for them to win .

Some lawyers assessed Yuna's chances of winning the case as 100%.

By the way, while I agree Yuna dropped the suit, in the back of my mind I a little wish that the suit had not been withdrawn (due to professor Hwang's "she'd commit suicide in the future" remark).