Tkal

The issue: Even before the release the antis raised controversy claiming that the album cover and military concept had material which was the same as Japanese and Nazi military weapons/clothing during WW II.

Why this was blown out of proportion: A classic case of over-analyzing the photo of a plane the size of my finger.

<b>EDIT: I realize this can be a very culturally sensitive issue and that SM should've done their research better. That being said.. I am a part of the generation that has only read about these wars and I feel I am somewhat detached from the impact. It's not that I don't understand the significance, but as my German friends would say, 'let the past rest and move on'. I hold the belief that at some point we do need to move on. (although the whole negativity against Japan is for the large part very understandable.)

For anyone who has a relatively good grasp of that period of history, it doesn't take in-depth analysis of the cover in question to immediately notice the very close resemblance of the various logos, insignias, and the plane to those of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany.

From the eagle grasping the swastika, to the Japanese Zero, it's pretty clear that the likeness is profound. Yes, there are other marks and symbols branded onto them, but it's hard to argue that the source material would have been from something else.

Whether or not you've only read about the history about the topic, the fact remains that is indeed a sensitive one. If anything, our generation's detachment from these past realities only makes it more important that there be a bit a fuss made of these things. And on that note, it isn't just the adolescents of today that pay attention to SNSD; there are fans of all ages, some who may have strong ties to the past.

I don't personally hold resentment for the German or Japanese today; how could I? They are not the ones who committed the atrocities. A people is not defined by the their past, but in how they learn from it now and bring about a new future and in that respect both nations have made leaps and bounds. That said, these symbols have a meaning to them. They represent a horrible era of death and suffering on a global scale. Simply touching them up and slightly modifying them cannot hide this. People don't want to relive or associate with their mistakes. Why do you think all forms of Nazi party symbols are still banned in Germany except in artistic expressions?

I don't intend on sounding like an anti-SNSD fan; I support the girls as much as anyone else on these boards. I intend on conveying a sense of anti-ignorance. The search for truths and the eduction of truths to the people is one of the mantras I strive to uphold. You cannot just turn a blind eye to something like this and claim that any comment can only come from an anti.

You can never fully let go and simply "let the past rest and move on". To do that would lead to a forgotten history. A history forgotten not in the sense that we wouldn't know X number of people died on Y island, or General A triumphed over General B. History isn't only about the battles fought, the bullets fired, and the blood shed, but the very human element that permeates it. History has shaped everything we see today. It is these sort of topics that need to be fully hammered home to the youth of today and tomorrow. You don't have to blow it out of the water every single time it comes up, but I believe at the very least you should be mindful of the significance.