A white, British social media influencer began identifying as “transracial” after undergoing 18 surgeries to transition his race and gender, according to a series of videos.
Oli London underwent 18 cosmetic surgeries to transition into a non-binary Korean and resemble Park Jimin from the K-pop band BTS, the influencer shared in a series of videos posted Monday. The transracial influencer has begun identifying as Korean and goes by the name “Jimin” with they/them pronouns.
“Hey guys! I’m finally Korean. I’ve transitioned. I have the eyes, just had a brow lift as well. I’ve been trapped in the wrong body for eight years and that’s the worst feeling in the world when you’re trapped and you don’t feel that you can be yourself,” the newly named Jimin said Monday. “But finally I’m Korean-I can be myself. And I’m so, so happy.”
TRANSRACIAL…????️⚧️⚧????️???????????? #olilondon pic.twitter.com/p0gcoV535D
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 28, 2021
Jimin spent more than $150,000 on eye surgery and a face, temple and brow lift in the process of transitioning to Korean, the influencer said in a Saturday video. Jimin referred to Korea, rather than Great Britain, as his “culture” and “home country.” (RELATED: Here We Go: ‘TRANSRACIAL’ White Guy Says He’s Filipino Now)
“I identify as Korean-that’s just my culture, that’s my home country, that’s exactly how I look now. I also identify as Jimin, that’s my Korean name.” the influencer said in a Saturday video. “I really struggled with identity issues and with who I am.”
Jimin said in the video that he has the Korean look, has lived in Korea, speaks the language and does not want to receive backlash for the transition and asked for viewers to respect the influencer’s identity.
Korean Political Commentator Kangmin Lee called Jimin’s announcement “degrading” to Koreans, saying that cosmetic surgery and physical appearance does not make a person a member of a particular ethnicity or race on Twitter Sunday.
“I can’t believe he seriously identifies as Korean. This is actually unbelievably degrading to Koreans like me if he asserts that simply getting surgery to make his eyes more slanted makes him Korean,” Lee said.
I can’t believe he seriously identifies as Korean
This is actually unbelievably degrading to Koreans like me if he asserts that simply getting surgery to make his eyes more slanted makes him Koreanpic.twitter.com/mVYq9PO10x
— Kangmin Lee ????????✝️???????? (@thekangminlee) June 28, 2021