Happy 33rd birthday to the incredible Ariana Grande-Butera.
Following her debut, the Grammy-winning vocalist and Academy Award nominated actress quickly proved herself in having one of the most impressive voices in pop music today. Her record-breaking music career includes universally-acclaimed albums such as ‘Sweetener’, ‘thank u, next’, ‘Dangerous Woman.’ The star is currently performing on her sold-out Eternal Sunshine tour, in which she is simultaneously promoting the release of her upcoming album ‘petal.’ She is one of the most streamed artists in history, with 10 #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits to her name.
황야의 노래 (Song of the wasteland) 판매 중단에 관하여 알려드립니다. 책임을 무겁게 느끼고 앞으로 신중한 작품활동을 하고자 자의로 결정한 바입니다. 더 나은 작업물로 찾아뵙겠습니다.
To readers,
I humbly accept the criticism that several scenes in Episode 1 contained disrespectful depictions of other cultures and people.
Even if the direction and themes of the story differ from what you may be concerned about, I have decided not to launch the work, as the fundamental limitations of this project's premise are clear.
I believe this situation has revealed my complacent attitude toward human rights sensitivity when handling a specific era and setting, and that my storytelling lacked sufficient care and nuance. I am deeply ashamed.
In my eagerness to focus on the characters, I failed to fully recognize that I was replicating problematic historical contexts and representational tropes found in past works.
I also deeply resonate with the criticism that the characterization in question was not something to be treated lightly within a genre like BL.
What I had told myself was passion for the storiesl, I now recognize as arrogance. I was not as prepared or as careful as this story required me to be.
I apologize for any displeasure caused to you, and I will carry this reflection with me as I continue.
Sincierly, JAXX
독자님들께.
1화의 몇 장면에서 타문화와 타인에 대한 무례한 묘사가 보인다는 비판을 겸허히 받아들입니다.
앞으로의 전개나 주제가 걱정하시는 바와 다르다고 해도, 이 프로젝트의 설정 자체에 근본적 한계가 명확하기에, 작품은 런칭하지 않는 것으로 결정했습니다.
이번 일로 특정 시대와 배경을 다루는 데 있어 저의 안일한 인권 감수성이 드러났다고 생각하며, 연출에서의 섬세함 또한 부족했다고 생각합니다. 무척 부끄럽습니다.
주인공에 초점을 맞춰 그린다는 생각에 몰입하다 보니 역사적 맥락과 그간 창작물들이 잘못해 온 표현 방식을 답습했다는 부분을 제대로 인지하지 못했습니다.
장르물에서 가볍게 다룰만한 캐릭터 설정이 아니라는 지적에도 깊이 공감했습니다.
소재에 대한 욕심이 결국 오만��으로 표출된 것 같아 반성하며 자신을 돌아보고 있습니다.
작업물에 대한 비판은 무거운 마음으로 수용하겠습니다.
감상에 불편을 드려 죄송합니다.
잭스 드림
#황야의노래#SongoftheWasteland
I’ve been reading a lot of opinions about the first chapter, and I think it’s important to separate the historical setting from the characters’ actions.
The story takes place around the end of the American Civil War, a period deeply shaped by slavery and its aftermath. It’s a harsh historical reality, so it’s only natural that a story set during that time would acknowledge it.
However, based on what we’ve actually seen in the first chapter, I don’t think the author is romanticizing slavery.
In fact, the story shows the opposite.
When Gerald is given the opportunity to make more money by selling the ranch along with the people living and working there, he refuses. Instead, he gathers everyone together, tells them they are free, that no one can buy or sell them anymore, and that they are free to leave whenever they wish. He even gives them part of the money from selling his Illinois estate so they can start over, keeping only what he needs to pay off his late father’s massive debts.
That’s a decision that costs him financially, and it clearly establishes where he stands from the very beginning.
Then Ezra appears. And this is an important detail: Gerald never calls Ezra a slave. In fact, he doesn’t even know who he is. His first reaction is simply to ask what’s going on and who this stranger is. It is Ezra who introduces himself by saying, “I’m your humble slave, Master.”
That alone doesn’t automatically mean the story is glorifying slavery. It simply means we still don’t know the context behind Ezra’s words or what the author intends to explore through their relationship.
I also think it’s important to remember that this is a fictional story set in a specific historical period. A work of fiction can include uncomfortable or painful subjects without necessarily endorsing or celebrating them. What ultimately matters is how those themes are handled throughout the story.
Personally, I’d rather wait before jumping to definitive conclusions. We’re only one chapter in, and there’s still a tremendous amount of context we don’t have yet. If the story eventually romanticizes slavery, then that would absolutely deserve criticism. But based on what we’ve actually been shown so far, Gerald’s actions point in the opposite direction: he frees the people on his ranch rather than treating them as property.
I think part of analyzing a story is allowing it the opportunity to tell the story it intends to tell before assigning it an intention that hasn’t yet been demonstrated.