Case Study – Tablo (Daniel Lee)

In 2010, controversy arose over rapper Daniel Lee’s educational credentials. Lee, better known by his rap name Tablo, claimed to have graduated from Stanford in 3.5 years. Online attackers claimed that, given the difficulty of the school, it was highly unlikely for someone to graduate so quickly. In addition, Tablo’s claim occurred in the midst of many similar credential-related controversies in Korea. This was a big deal because if Tablo had indeed lied about his credentials, his false success would undermine the values of hard work, effort, and dedication for those who actually did graduate from such institutions of higher learning.

In a vicious form of cyberbullying, attackers harassed Tablo and his family with threatening messages. Tablo made multiple attempts to clear his name, but they were all dismissed as desperate cover-ups. Later, the harassment spread to Tablo’s supporters as well; support grew thin as fewer people were willing to endure the humiliating attacks. Even Tablo’s record label refused to get in the middle of the conflict, maintaining a neutral stance and offering him no help or special protection. As a result, in mid-2010 he left the label, a risky move that put his career in jeopardy.

Eventually, Tablo cleared his name by traveling to Stanford and obtaining a copy of his transcript from admissions workers who recognized him and greeted him with friendly enthusiasm. Nonetheless, he still had to rebuild himself from the vicious attacks that made him question his safety and the future of his career.

These attacks say a lot about the bullying culture in Korea:

1. Koreans place a heavy emphasis on success through hard work and determination; intelligence is not fixed or biologically determined. Therefore, the idea that a famous figure, respected and idolized by many, could cheat his way to the top was bound to cause widespread outrage.
2. Koreans are highly concerned with “saving face”, or maintaining their public image. Therefore, even Lee’s closest friends and family members would not publicly support him for fear of a tarnished reputation. Given this lack of support, the attacks carried on for a good portion of 2010.