Jang v. Chun: Controversy of Controversies Blossoms!
/Randall Mell follows up on his original reporting of a bizarro accident (?) where the father of Ha Na Jang lost control of his luggage on an escalator, injuring Korean rival Gee Chun. The story gets more bizarre when you learn the two are competing for an Olympic spot.
Oh, and now it seems the Korean people are upset at Jang for her Beyonce dance after winnign the HSBC Women's Champions. Jim Tom Pinch at the peak of his powers couldn't have passed this off as non-fiction.
Jang wiped away tears Tuesday at the Founders Cup after explaining how she didn’t intend to offend anyone with the dance and that she is remorseful over circumstances that have pitted her against Chun in a Korean media firestorm.
“For now, Ha Na is keeping to the position that she doesn’t want to comment further,” said an LPGA spokesman helping Jang translate.
Upon returning to South Korea after winning the HSBC Women’s Champions, Jang learned her celebratory dance offended Chun supporters, who were upset over an incident before the tournament began, a mishap where Jang’s father lost control of a 15-pound travel bag that went crashing down an escalator at Singapore’s Changi airport. The bag hit Chun in the lower back, causing injuries that led Chun to withdraw from the HSBC Champions and this week’s Founders Cup.
The controversy worsened with Jang’s victory in Singapore moving her into the four-player South Korean Olympic team mix and bumping Chun out.
Make that up...someone!