Reporter Compliments Claudia Kim’s English During Interview, Fans Call Her Racist
Reporter Kjersti Flaa has been criticized by fans for a rude remark she made towards Claudia Kim in a recent interview.
On November 7, Kjersti Flaa uploaded an interview of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’s Ezra Miller and Claudia Kim on her Youtube channel.
The interview seemed to be going fairly well until the reporter asked the actors, “Do you remember your first encounter with the book?”
Claudia Kim replied, “Middle school, Korea. I asked my dad’s friend to get me the book from the US.”
After hearing Kim’s response, Kjersti Flaa had a surprised look on her face and asked whether she was able to speak English at the time or not.
“Ooh. But you read it in English, then? So you did speak English? That’s cool.”
ㅡ Kjersti Flaa
Slightly taken aback by the reporter’s reaction, Ezra Miller chimed in and indicated that Claudia Kim still speaks English and speaks very well at that.
“She still does, even now speak English. Very well.”
ㅡ Ezra Miller
One fan took notice of Kjersti Flaa’s reaction and called her out on it, indicating that her questions were “inappropriate, condescending and somewhat racist”.
Your English is not perfect but you dont see anyone being an ass about it by making it the subject of the conversation.
— zoe mckay (@sjkilo) November 7, 2018
Instead of giving an explanation or simply keeping silent, however, Kjersti Flaa further angered fans by responding with a comment that suggested she didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she had said.
I was impressed by someone being able to read Harry Potter in English at the age of 9 (I sure couldn't) when its not your mother tongue. Dont you find that impressive?
— Kjersti Flaa (@KjerstiNewYork) November 7, 2018
Dozens of other fans swarmed in with comments to defend the Korean actress and shamed Flaa for being “ignorant and racist”.
First, she said that she read Harry potter when she was a middle school student, not at the age of 9. Second, her dad asked his friend in America to send the book to Korea for the English version. Don’t you think that Koreans have their own Korean version of Harry Potter?
— purplebear (@kate7746naverc1) November 8, 2018
I'm now wondering whether you are made of total rudeness or total ignorance or both. Hmm… Let me choose all three, and add bit of racism just to make it worse. Not even knowing that your behavior was wrong is just so sad. I AM ANGRY about you, but hope you figure it out soon.
— DW 시즌 11 스포하는 스텔라 🌟 (@dwfordearest) November 8, 2018
Why can’t you admit you were wrong? Your comments were clearly racist with undertones of “othering” people that aren’t like you. Many people across the world speak multiple languages fluently. Let’s not try to act so innocent. It’s your own ignorance that you won’t own up to
— Celine (@reminiscent012) November 8, 2018
Why does someone who is not white speaking in fluent English have to be so impressive to you? Well, I must say that I am really impressed by your racism.
— purplebear (@kate7746naverc1) November 8, 2018
Watch the full interview below:
