{
  "id": 16269629,
  "title": "Eric Nam says classmates spat in his face — then a Backstreet Boys performance changed everything",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/eric-nam-says-classmates-spat-in-his-face-then-a-backstreet-boys",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T03:22:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20261024/eric-nam-says-classmates-spat-in-his-face-then-a-backstreet-boys-performance-changed-everything"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singer Eric Nam opened up about the racism and bullying he faced while growing up in the United States. In an interview on the YouTube channel YouTube Ha Ji-young, Nam revealed how a Backstreet Boys and NSYNC performance during his final year of high school became a turning point in his life.\n\nNam attended a private school, but the classmates he encountered were from vastly different backgrounds. His family was not wealthy, and he struggled to relate to his peers. \"My parents sent me to a private school, but when I got there, all the kids were from wealthy families,\" Nam said. \"My family wasn't poor, but we weren't that rich either.\"\n\nThe differences between them went beyond money. \"We couldn't relate to each other, and we lived in completely different worlds,\" Nam explained. He recounted the bullying he endured, with classmates spitting in his face and pulling back their eyes. Despite the abuse, Nam focused on what he could control. \"I thought I should just do well at what I could do well,\" he said, continuing to rank among the school's top students.\n\nIt was an unexpected moment during his final year of high school that would change everything.",
  "summary": "Singer Eric Nam has opened up about the racism and bullying he endured while growing up in the United States, revealing how an unlikely high school performance featuring Backstreet Boys and NSYNC songs became a turning point in his life. Nam appeared on the YouTube channel \"YouTube Ha Ji-young\" on Wednesday and recalled his years at a private school in the U.S., where he said he struggled to fit…",
  "key_points": [
    "Eric Nam faced racism and bullying in a private school in the U.S.",
    "A Backstreet Boys performance during his final year of high school changed everything.",
    "Nam remained focused on excelling academically despite the abuse."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Nam’s transition from a victim of racial bullying and class divides to a successful performer illustrates how personal resilience and unexpected cultural moments can redefine a traumatic upbringing.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}