Jae-Joong Kim

Photo by Aflo/Shutterstock

In Kansas, a man was arrested for “making a terrorist threat" after coughing on an 11-year-old girl and telling her she was gonna get COVID-19.

In Las Vegas, a man was arrested after wandering in a WalMart pretending to have coronavirus symptoms. He said it was a prank. The coronavirus crisis has led to more American deaths than 9/11 and continues to ravage the world and strip families of their loved ones. So why did JYJ's Jaejoong think it was okay to claim to have the virus as an April Fools' Day prank? The answer: He's an idiot who doesn't take this seriously.

Yesterday, the 34-year-old announced on Instagram in a now-deleted post that he had tested positive for coronavirus. Fans around the world mourned the diagnosis, and before the K-pop idol could say "jk," his fake illness was making headlines. His label, C-Jes Entertainment RGC, in Korea even responded to the initial reports and were quickly working to determine his whereabouts in Japan so they could see who he'd interacted with and get those individuals tested.

The star has since issued an apology, which you can read in full English translation below, but we can all agree from the bottom of our hearts that this was a seriously d*ck move.

“I am also personally aware that it was something that shouldn't be done.

First, over the social media post I wrote, I want to express my sincere apologies to the people who have suffered because of COVID-19 and to the people who were disrupted in their administrative work.

Bad judgment. I knew that's what this was.

The current lack of awareness of response methods and the dangerousness of the virus outbreak.
I wanted to convey that message because I hoped that people would be more aware and therefore we could minimize the number of people who suffer because of COVID-19.

It's so scary to think that things like people spending time outside in the warm weather as spring arrives, or coming in contact with others in an enclosed space while making use of leisurely time as the start of the semester is postponed, could cause a secondary or tertiary resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

My father also recently had lung cancer surgery and he went to the hospital often.

When I saw the medical staff and patients at the hospital, I felt a bit angry and I wished that people thought of the virus as not someone else's problem, but their own problem.

Contrary to the people who actually are working hard to get us out of COVID-19, there are many people who enjoy their leisure time while dressing just as usual and not wearing a mask. When I heard that, I thought there needed to be more awareness.

In many different kinds of media and on the internet, there are both big and small requests for people to take caution, but there are people who do not listen to that, and I wanted to convey the dangerousness of the current situation to them one way or another. "Please, listen. Please. Don't get sick."

There are also confirmed cases among the people I know. This made me feel certain that this is not something that is happening far away, and it made me more scared.

Self-reflecting after losing someone is no help at all.

It's frustrating and hard but I want to try a bit harder than now and get through this difficult time together. My post today… it went very far, but I thought that if people paid a large amount of interest to it, then they might listen. This method has hurt a lot of people and I am receiving criticism for it.

For causing distress, I sincerely apologize to the government agencies and medical professionals who are working hard because of COVID-19 and to the many people who are following instructions to give up on their lifestyles and are doing all they can to overcome this.“

April

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

Most years, April Fool's day is a fun little break from the mundanity of daily life.

It's a day to celebrate chaos and mischief in the midst of an otherwise unremarkable part of the year. Whether you tend to be the prankster or the pranked, odds are that this is usually a day full of practical jokes, playful communications, and general antics.

But this year, things feel a little different. The rhythm of our daily lives has already been thoroughly shattered, and it's safe to say everyone is feeling a little fragile and spooked without the addition of surprise practical jokes. Honestly, none of us have the energy for April Fool's day. If anyone tries to plant a fake spider in my cupboard or rig the sink to shoot me in the face, I swear to f*cking god I will lose my ever loving MIND OKAY, STEVE?! OKAY? DO YOU HEAR ME?

Anyways.

While pranks may be out of the question, it feels like a shame to let a usually enjoyable day pass by unremarked. If you think about, life as we know it at the moment is already one big, startling, slightly mean-spirited joke. So, this year, how about we celebrate April Fool's Day with anti-pranks?

An anti-prank is the opposite of a practical joke. While a practical joke aims to shock, disgust, or otherwise inconvenience a victim in a comical way, an anti-prank aims to soothe, delight, or convenience a victim in a comical way. That's right, this year, April Fool's is all about making people feel good. Here are some examples of anti-pranks you can pull on your loved ones to celebrate April Fool's day in quarantine!

Compliment Drop

While the person in this video put water in the balloon over the door, we recommend filling your balloon with slips of paper that say things you like about the person you're pranking. That way, when they open the door and pop the balloon, a confetti storm of love falls down around them!

Buy Someone Toilet Paper

Whatever you do, don't you dare do any of these toilet paper pranks. Those kind of shenanigans are reserved for when toilet paper isn't worth its weight in gold. Instead, anonymously leave a pack of toilet paper on a neighbor's porch with a note that explains you're participating in Anti-April Fools Day. They'll be delighted and hopefully pass on the random act of kindness.

Call Your Mom

Instead of clogging up the phone lines with annoying prank calls, literally just call your mom and check in. That's it. That's the whole prank.

Make a Treat for the People You Live With

Instead of making something misleading and gross like onion's covered in caramel, just make a delicious treat to share with the people you're quarantined with. They'll appreciate it, and it'll help brighten up the monotony of self-isolation.