Queenie Padilla, Robin’s eldest daughter, defended her father after the action star came under fire for his supposedly “racist” treatment of a Korean contestant auditioning on Pilipinas Got Talent.
On Instagram, Queenie said:
“Calling my father a racist is wrong. My father called Jiwan ‘anak’ and hugged him. Is that an act of racism?”
In an episode of the talent show, Robin, a judge on PGT, refused to talk to Kim Jiwan, a Korean magician auditioning for the show, unless Jiwan spoke to the action star in Tagalog.
Robin also did not let Jiwan perform his magic tricks on him unless he spoke in Tagalog — an act that earned mixed reactions from fans of PGT online.
Queenie explained that Robin might have felt insulted after Jiwan asked for his help in an “improper way”:
Look at it this way, Ji-Wan asked Papa in an improper way, “can I use you?.” I know Ji-Wan may have meant well and may have been nervous but I think that’s where my dad got offended. That in itself is disrespectful whether or not my father is who he is, Ji-Wan is younger than him. We should show respect to our elders. The right way would have been to ask, “can you please help me?”
Queenie also added that the action star probably expected more from the Korean contestant as he grew up in the Philippines, and that the “harsh tone” Robin used was no different from how he would discipline his children.
It’s not because my dad is hating on him, my dad just expected more from him since, he grew up in the Philippines. They both meant well. I think we should define this situation how it ended, not how it started.
Later in the episode, Robin allows Jiwan to perform, impressed by the contestant’s composure. Jiwan later proceeds to the next round.
Pilipinas Got Talent is currently in its sixth season.
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