Petitions Against RPS Fanfiction vs. Deepfakes – What’s Going Down On K-Twitter

The K-Twitterverse has recently been swept up with protests and petitions, regarding two important matters. The first targets RPS, or alpaseu, which refers to fanfiction or fanart that portrays real people, and often intertwines them with same-sex characters. More often than not, these RPS works are rated 18+, which netizens are claiming as a form of sexual harassment.

Deepfake consumer site homepage. | Lawtalk

The second matter involves K-Pop deepfakes, by which AI technology is being used to morph female idols’ faces onto pornographic works. According to research statistics, 25% of deepfake victims globally are female K-Pop idols.

Highly sexualized thumbnails for female idol fancams. Not deepfakes. | @ae__vely/Twitter

However, the issues have been pit against each other, as while many female netizens are supporting petitions to severely punish deepfakes, many male netizens are stepping up to start and support motions to punish RPS. Statistically, RPS is often written by female fans and deepfakes are consumed by males.

Upon a search done by one particular netizen, it was realized that no male idol deepfakes exist on consumer-targeted sites, although it is possible that such edits are circulated online in the minority.

#불법_합성_공론화
(긴글이지만 읽어주세요)
여러분 남돌 딥페이크 없습니다.
단 한건도 못찾았습니다. 여돌 딥페이크는 신인, 무명그룹까지 수백건이 넘고 조회수는 백만건이 훌쩍 넘어가는데
남돌딥페이크는 가장유명한그룹도 찾을수 없습니다.
이와중에 이루다갤러들은 팬들이쓰던 연검정화방법을 pic.twitter.com/IQxchDan8G

— dxxpfakeout (@dxxpfakeout) January 13, 2021

A quick search was carried out by netizen @dxxpfakeout using BTS, a globally recognized and popular group, as an example. It retrieved no results. Conversely, it brought about suggestions of recent popular videos including that of BLACKPINK‘s Jennie and Cosmic Girls’ Luda.

| @dxxpfakeout/Twitter

Petitions are running high for both issues, even as netizens continue to stand divided. Many female netizens have claimed that the issue against RPS was started up by male netizens who were angered at those calling for punishment regarding deepfakes and the Nth room. Many are also angered at the way news articles are drawing comparisons between RPS and the Nth room, one of the largest sexual assault and trafficking cases in history.

알페스 기사떴는데…? 진짜 n번방=알페스라는 식으로 여론 조성되고있고 여돌 딥페이크까지 그냥 아이돌이라는 이유로 죄다 알페스에 포함된다고 물타기하려는 사람들도 생김https://t.co/K42XZDyugM pic.twitter.com/XSB54a9sdN

— ????????????(짱자) (@u_uriuriuri) January 12, 2021

An article on RPS has come up…? They are theorizing it as if Nth room = RPS while they are dismissing female idol deepfakes as if it can’t be helped just because they are idols. There are many people appearing now that are hopping on the RPS hate bandwagon.

— @u_uriuriuri

A few celebrities have also spoken up on the matter, including rapper BeWhy and rapper Rohann. Both petitions have reached over 200,000 signatures.