Yuzuru Hanyu Divorced (updated)

[On My Own]

The thread title

 

[angi]

This is horrible (and I agree it's very reminiscent of what Virtue/Moir experienced)
I will say though that it sounds like a lot of the stalking and disturbing behavior that led to this came from his fans, which means his poor wife got a similar treatment to that many of his rivals (or at least those perceived as his rivals by his fans) received. I wish he would have called them out on their behavior a long time ago, it's been disturbing for the better part of 6-7 years now.

 

[overedge]

She will still be harassed even though they are going their separate way.

Yep, the Fanyus are probably going to blame her for ruining their idol's life and making him unhappy...

 

[SkateGuard]

Yep, the Fanyus are probably going to blame her for ruining their idol's life and making him unhappy...

Very on brand... Last week on Reddit, one of them was upset that he wasn't being inducted to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

In all seriousness though... this whole situation - including the way it's being blamed almost solely on the media - is a lot. I don't care if you're the King of the Universe, you still deserve a private life free of crazy.

 

[MINAM]

Very surprised at the news. I thought the media frenzy had settled down.

 

[Cachoo]

How do paparazzi work in Japan? They are taking photos, but they aren't publishing them anywhere? Do many people in Japan know who Yuzu married?

I wondered about this. Is her photo plastered all over the Japanese entertainment websites and papers the way it happens in the North American and European publications? I heard someone speculate she was from Russia? Is that way off of the mark?

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I wondered about this. Is her photo plastered all over the Japanese entertainment websites and papers the way it happens in the North American and European publications? I heard someone speculate she was from Russia? Is that way off of the mark?

I don’t believe that the spouse’s name (or sex, for that matter) has ever been made public.

Understandably so, as this new development makes it clear why Hanyu would have gone to such lengths to protect his partner’s identity.

 

[Cachoo]

I don’t believe that the spouse’s name (or sex, for that matter) has ever been made public.

Understandably so, as this new development makes it clear why Hanyu would have gone to such lengths to protect his partner’s identity.

I truly wish I had your faith Rhumba.

 

[SkateGuard]

FYI - this is the translation that was posted on Reddit:

"I truly appreciate your always kind words, encouragement and support. This is a personal matter, but there's something I want to share with all of you. I have married an ordinary person and we entered this marriage with mutual respect and a commitment to cherish each other. We have faced and overcome various challenges to protect and support each other.

In the course of our life together, my partner, despite facing circumstances that confined them to home, took actions to protect and support me. Currently, various media outlets are engaging in slander and stalking against my partner, their family and associates, as well as my own family and associates, through unauthorized interviews and reports. This has extended to our living space, where we experienced being followed by suspicious cars or individuals, and sudden approaches.

Despite our efforts to overcome such situations and protect each other, my lack of experience has made it extremely difficult and unbearable to continue protecting my partner and myself in the current situation. Considering the possibility of this situation persisting or recurring even after temporary improvements, and with the desire for my partner to be happy and free from restrictions, I have made the decision to divorce.

I earnestly request that from now on, everyone refrains from engaging in slander, unauthorized interviews, reporting and other disruptive behavior towards my partner, their family and associates, as well as my own family and associates.

I sincerely ask for your understanding. I will continue to move forward and appreciate your ongoing support.

Yuzuru Hanyu"

I don't speak Japanese but I do find the statement above and this one quite different. No clue which one is a more accurate translation?

 

[Willin]

I'd bet any money a lot of the harassment is actually fans.

He's either paying off the paparazzi really well to hide their picture or they're holding onto the juicy story about her identity for reasons? The Japanese media has previously leaked photos and information about Nobunari Oda's family/personal life. They've also slandered people like Princess Mako's husband and his family - going as far as to blame him for a family debt that had nothing to do with him. I've also seen the Japanese media share details about personal lives of celebrities: sibling with petty theft convictions, having a teen mom, being seen with a friend who has a tattoo and thus must be yakuza. So one would think if the Japanese media were harassing her publicly we'd have found out her/her family's identity by now along with all their dirty laundry. OTOH it's possible they just aren't interesting enough to leak anything about and they're lying in wait and stalking trying desperately to find some juicy morsel to publish.

But we also know he hates blaming his fans for anything or making them take accountability for their bad actions, so using the paparazzi who are more provably stalking them to protect bad fans doing the same stuff would make sense.

 

[SkateGuard]

I'd bet any money a lot of the harassment is actually fans.

If we're going by the first translation which has media outlets in quotations... that can mean a lot of things. Could be tabloids, could be lower-end journalists, could be a 'fan club newsletter' posing as a legit media outlet.

 

[On My Own]

But we also know he hates blaming his fans for anything or making them take accountability for their bad actions, so using the paparazzi who are more provably stalking them to protect bad fans doing the same stuff would make sense.

What makes you think they're not his antifandom then? Those also exist on Japanese sm.

 

[Willin]

@On My Own I haven't watched the fandom wars since before antis existed, so it could be them too. But knowing Japanese fan culture and fan culture in general, it makes a lot more sense that it was his fans.

 

[On My Own]

But knowing Japanese fan culture and fan culture in general, it makes a lot more sense that it was his fans.

How? I'm not denying that the fans themselves might have played a role in it, but I'm not at all sure how Japanese fan culture means it makes less sense for anti-fandom to cause this?

Every Asian person with some amount of visibility has more fans than anti-fans, so they have a larger pool to draw the crazies from when it comes to fandom, and his media image is pretty much designed to attract the crazy. But the Asian anti-fans are pretty nasty.

Personally, I think it might be a combination of all three.

I haven't watched the fandom wars since before antis existed

I mean, his anti-fandom pretty much began where the Yuna/Mao fanwars ended - the Mao fans took offense to him joining TCC.

 

[Vagabond]

Ars longa, matrimonium brevis.

 

[starrynight]

I always thought that Hanyu would benefit from taking some time at the end of his career to study in the US or Canada etc just to get a breather from the intensity of life in Japan.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Can we just agree on the fact that the whole divorce-thing is just absolutely ****ed-up and insane and move on?
Yes, I know it sucks.
Yes, I know the Fanyus are a bunch of shitlords.

If we get over it ASAP we'll only help Hanyu.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

Could someone else explain to me if there are specific factors in society about performers, much less skaters, in Northeast Asian (Japan, Korea, etc) societies that inspire such destructive, intense fan behavio(u)r?

I realize that Swifties and football/soccer fans in other areas can be devoted or violent, but their actions and vocalness don't seem to reach quite the same level, at least from what I have been exposed here and in other media sources.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Could someone else explain to me if there are specific factors in society about performers, much less skaters, in Northeast Asian (Japan, Korea, etc) societies that inspire such destructive, intense fan behavio(u)r?

I realize that Swifties and football/soccer fans in other areas can be devoted or violent, but their actions and vocalness don't seem to reach quite the same level, at least from what I have been exposed here and in other media sources.

Fanyus. 'nuff said.

 

[Karen-W]

Fanyus. 'nuff said.

It isn't just Fanyus, though. Fandoms for K-pop and J-pop stars are just as intense. And let's not forget the Yunabots and the Yuna-Mao fan wars.

I think, in the last 30-40 years, the closest approximation Western society might have to this is War of the Wales/Princess Diana - and I'm not sure some of the post-death idolization would have happened had she not died.

 

[airgelaal]

Could someone else explain to me if there are specific factors in society about performers, much less skaters, in Northeast Asian (Japan, Korea, etc) societies that inspire such destructive, intense fan behavio(u)r?

I realize that Swifties and football/soccer fans in other areas can be devoted or violent, but their actions and vocalness don't seem to reach quite the same level, at least from what I have been exposed here and in other media sources.

If you read the story of Princess Mako, it seems this applies to all public figures.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

If you read the story of Princess Mako, it seems this applies to all public figures.

And I'm asking for insight into these specific types of extreme reactions.

 

[Willin]

@VALuvsMKwan I've seen whole academic books and papers on this, and wrote a paper about it myself (in regards to the dating rule for idols).

There's a lot of complex cultural stuff going on with it, but the easiest part to explain is the nature and intensity of parasocial relationships that are intentionally cultivated by companies there. Strategies include:

• Doing a TON more meet and greets and even handshake events so people can meet their idols even if for a minute. It's not the US or Europe where you have to get lucky and win a contest. Oh, no, you just buy their CD and you get a ticket to shake their hand or take pictures with your favorite.
• Playing into cultural expectations of supporting your favorites by encouraging fans to buy as much merch as possible - so you're more connected to them the more money you put in.
• Doing a ton of those short fluff interviews/pieces so you learn their favorite things and can try them too and become more connected through your hobbies
• Humbling them on TV (remember those Japanese "game show" clips? Those aren't normal people, they're celebs and athletes) to make them seem both more accessible and normal and to draw up more support (see? they need out support because they struggle too!)
• Making them seem "open and available" to fans - they're better objects of desire and marketability when you still think you have a shot at dating them because there's no one else. Even for those not interested romantically, a bf/gf might be seen as a threat so the parasocial friendship because the person's time and attention would be spent on their SO, not their fans. This is the reason for no dating rules many idols have

Now, Hanyu isn't an idol and none of this was intentionally building parasocial relationships on his part. He never really did meet and greets and merch was sold by others, but there were things that coincidentally line up with that other parasocial relationship building. In skating fans spend money and travel to see their favorites in person - and Yuzu's fans are known for this, probably putting more pressure for others in the fandom to outdo the travel frequency of others. He needed to do short fluff pieces about his favorite things, and they're not generally harmful on their own - even if he didn't I'm sure they could fake them with press conference clips. Yuzu got humbled on TV frequently when he fell or got injured - no variety show appearances needed! He was also very known for having no one in his life - something he did not for fans but to protect his SO - but which had the same effect.

 

[sap5]

If you read the story of Princess Mako, it seems this applies to all public figures.

And yet not one of these destructive fans have released the name, picture, or any details of this partner? I remember when VM fans harassed Scott's wife, the Canadian media didn't participate in any of it, but the harassment was highly visible all over social media if you wanted to look for it.

 

[skatfan]

Could someone else explain to me if there are specific factors in society about performers, much less skaters, in Northeast Asian (Japan, Korea, etc) societies that inspire such destructive, intense fan behavio(u)r?

Taylor Swift has a small army of security and lawyers who field these things for her, and she has to live a very particular way to stay safe.

 

[Karen-W]

If you read the story of Princess Mako, it seems this applies to all public figures.

I don't think the situation with Princess Mako is exactly the same as the fandom stuff. She didn't have a huge fandom following her every move and invading her life. The paparazzi certainly were invasive, but IIRC, her husband's mother's ex-boyfriend also made the financial dispute public for less than innocent reasons. Additionally, there has been an ongoing political/public discussion about allowing Princesses to remain as working members of the Imperial Family after they marry or even be included in the line of succession due to the low number of Princes. That, in and of itself, puts her husband's family and financial obligations into a different light, IMO, than a mere crazy-assed fandom that obsesses over the object of their affection to the point of harassment and total lack of privacy.

 

[Willin]

And yet not one of these destructive fans have released the name, picture, or any details of this partner? I remember when VM fans harassed Scott's wife, the Canadian media didn't participate in any of it, but the harassment was highly visible all over social media if you wanted to look for it. Is this also a cultural difference?

This is my biggest question - how has no info been released? Whether it's the tabloids or fans you'd think her name would've been leaked a longggggg time ago.

 

[Miezekatze]

How awful!

 

[airgelaal]

And yet not one of these destructive fans have released the name, picture, or any details of this partner? I remember when VM fans harassed Scott's wife, the Canadian media didn't participate in any of it, but the harassment was highly visible all over social media if you wanted to look for it. Is this also a cultural difference?

But we also don't see fan photos and videos from Japanese shows. This does not mean that no one takes photos or videos.
You can stalk for yourself, not for the public. This does not make it any easier for the target of stalking.

 

[jackson]

I always thought that Hanyu would benefit from taking some time at the end of his career to study in the US or Canada etc just to get a breather from the intensity of life in Japan.

This whole thing is so weird. Every celeb in hollywood and even taylor swift has had so many relationships. There is a lot more to this I have heard from people close to the source. Do people generally think this was a totally real relationship? Is he really that famous in Japan? Like if T swift can have relationships, I find that there isn't more to this romance. Wish them both happiness!