JJ Lin's Violent Music Video Stirs Controversy

Friday July 13, 2007 Singapore

He was the sunshine boy when he made his debut four years ago.

Now, visualize clean-cut JJ Lin as a psychotic murderer who befriends, drugs, then cuts up his victim's body

Hard to imagine?

The local singer did just that in his music video (MV) for the track, The Killa, from his new album West Side.

The music video, which is about five minutes long and has both censored and uncensored versions, has raised more than a few eyebrows.

First, three Taiwanese television stations banned it from being aired because they deemed its content unsuitable for broadcast.

But some fans still caught it when a 21-minute extended and uncensored version was shown at a private screening in Taiwan last Friday.

The screening was a closed-door event for some 300 fans and invited guests aged above 18.

This is not the first time JJ has flirted with controversy and raised questions over whether he is deliberately trying to grab attention.

But what's clear is that he has certainly upped the ante.

The New Paper tried to speak to the star, but was told by his record label Ocean Butterflies that he was busy with his album promotions in Taiwan.

But in a media release, JJ said the extended version, or what he calls an 'experimental movie', was created because they had leftover film and had wanted to present a complete story.

Ocean Butterflies told The New Paper it is considering a similar private screening here for fans.

In the meantime, it is in the midst of obtaining censorship clearance for the music video.

A spokesman from the Media Development Authority confirmed it received the music video on Tuesday and that the request is being processed.

The music video costs NT$5 million ($250,000) to make.

It tells the story of a novelist writing a story of a man (both played by JJ) in love with an exchange student from Brazil (played by Latin beauty Liz, of Paraguayan and Taiwanese descent). His love turns into an obsession and he eventually kidnaps, kills and cuts her up.

He then frames her body parts on his wall - including her severed head - turning it into one giant 'portrait'.

In the full-blown version of the music video, Liz's topless body is visible in two scenes.

There's another scene of her bloodied body in a tub, as the protagonist cuts her up and removes her heart.

There's also a scene of the protagonist placing Liz's dismembered head onto the portrait.

The provocative scenes proved disturbing for some fans of JJ, who's known for his clean-cut looks and has hordes of young fans from Singapore to Taiwan.

Ocean Butterflies' music director Billy Koh said that JJ wrote the song The Killa after watching a slasher flick.

The music video was conceptualized by JJ and Taiwanese MV director Bill Jia and another Ocean Butterflies staff.

Both the song and the video were meant to portray the internal struggle of the good and evil sides of man, and the need to face up to one's dark side in order to appreciate the good.

'It's considered a big breakthrough for JJ from his past good-boy image. It's his fifth album, so people can accept that he's just playing a role,' said Mr Koh.
The music fraternity also appeared to be open-minded about JJ's controversial move.

Mr. Andy Kwan, marketing director with entertainment company Music & Movement, says JJ's video is not shocking as there are MVs from the West that contain more gore and violence.

'The MTV generation is much smarter now and is not so easily influenced by what they see.'

A music industry personnel, who did not want to be named, said the music video sits well with the song.

She said: 'The song is about a killer, so it would be strange if there was no killer in the MV.

The industry people we spoke to doubt the controversy will hurt JJ's image or dent his career.

'Every artiste has to progress. He can't always stay a boy-next-door,' said Mr. Kwan.

JJ's fans who were shocked with the gory scenes say that they are supportive nonetheless.

'He likes to break through, so I don't think he's doing this to hit the headlines,' said Ms Quek

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credits: asianbite.