Headline-grabbing influencer Oli London issued a public apology to BTS and the Asian community.
London first caused controversy when they publicly "came out" as "transracial" earlier this year - arguing that they felt Korean despite being white and British.
The 32-year-old internet personality has been the subject of a number of news reports and videos, where London explains in an interview posted to YouTube that they've had 32 cosmetic procedures - including "6 nose jobs, 2 chin surgeries, 2 eyelid surgeries, 2 forehead lifts, a full facelift, hairline lowering, and so many other things" - in an effort to achieve what they call "a Jimin look."
Jimin is a member of the world-famous K-Pop boy band, BTS, and it's London's apparent obsession with him that is to blame for all the surgeries.
However, it has been London's comments about being "transracial" that have caused a stir. Earlier in 2022, London took part in the Would You Rather web series - which saw London being interviewed by a Black woman on their need to identify as "transracial."
In it, London said: "I identify as Korean. I used to live in Korea, I was living there for one year. I love the culture, the history, and the people. I put myself through a lot of pain, and a lot of surgical procedures to have more of a Korean aesthetic… I came out earlier this year, sharing that with the world."
In response, the interviewer told London that it was harmful "to push the narrative that it's possible to switch races," before adding: "I can't sit up here and say, 'Oh, I'm suddenly a white woman' or I can be Black or I can be Korean because the privilege of where you benefit from, then it's not an equal exchange."
Now, it seems, London has had a change of heart. In a three-minute video uploaded to their YouTube channel on Monday, London addresses the surgeries, saying they feel apologetic for "trying to be another person."
London added that their obsession with Jimin was due to the loneliness they felt, as well as the nasty bullying they received throughout school, saying they were: "Feeling sad that nobody loves me, nobody wants to be with me."
"That has been a big factor in me having surgery, me being unhappy, me also funneling my love into Jimin. I really tried to model myself on that person, because I thought that would make me happy," London said.
London credits their newfound growth to their recent marriage, a tells viewers of the YouTube video that: "I can't be another person. I just need to love myself. I've started to really love myself."
The apology was directed to Jimin, as well as "any member of the Asian community that has ever misunderstood me or misinterpreted me or thought maybe I was a little bit too obsessed with Jimin."
