A black-and-white image of three women has been widely shared on social media, with claims that it depicts Cambodia’s three famous artists from around 50 years ago. This Facebook post garnered considerable reactions and comments, with many users believing the image to be an authentic representation. However, our investigation has revealed that this claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
Earlier this month, a black-and-white photograph featuring three women was shared on social media, claiming that the individuals depicted are Pen Ron, Ros Sereysothea, and Huoy Meas, Cambodia’s famous artists about 50 years ago.
The post sparked interest among fans and followers of Cambodian music and culture, as these artists played significant roles in shaping the country’s artistic landscape during their careers.
The resemblance of the women in the photo to these iconic figures has led to discussions and debates among online communities regarding the authenticity of the image and its historical context.
Below is a snapshot of the Facebook post from November 02, 2024, saying: “Exploring the legacy of Cambodia’s three renowned artists: Pen Ron, Ros Sereysothea, and Huoy Meas. of Cambodia’s three famous artists.”
After the photo was first circulated, it was shared by other Facebook users, resulting in more than 5,000 shares early this month.
Here is a snapshot of another Facebook post from November 1, 2024, that features the same caption.
The claim went viral on social media, and it can be found in various posts: Link 1 (archived), Link 2 (archived), and Link 3 (archived).
After being circulated on social media, many Khmer-speaking users commented, believing the image depicted famous Cambodian artists from the past.
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo began debunking the claim above by running a reserve image search which led us to discover the following facts.
We discovered that the women in the photo are not Cambodian artists by conducting a Google Reverse Image Search.
According to an auction published in Yahoo’s blog last month, the photo’s information said the three women in the photo were members of Candies’ singing team in Japan: Ito Ran, Yoshiko Tanaka, and Miki Fujimura.
Here is a snapshot of the photo auction published on Yahoo, which contains information in Japanese.
Candies was a renowned Japanese girl band formed in 1973. The members were Ito Ran (Ran), Yoshiko Tanaka (Sue), and Miki Fujimura (Miki).
The band’s music was produced for the CBS Sony label until its disband in 1978, when they gained significant recognition and popularity. Later, CBS Sony transformed and rebranded itself as Sony Music, marking a new era in the company’s evolution and expanding its influence in the music industry.
After disbanding in 1978, Ran and Sue pursued acting careers and achieved great success. In contrast, Miki returned to the music industry by releasing a single album in 1983 before getting married.
Yoshiko Tanaka passed away in 2011 at the age of 55 after a prolonged battle with breast cancer.
Below is a snapshot from GettyImages showing the three artists speaking about the dissolution of their band during a press conference in Tokyo in 1977.
CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo determined that the claim was false. The black-and-white photo does not feature the famous Cambodian artists Pen Ron, Ros Sereysothea, and Huoy Meas. Instead, the three women in the photo are renowned Japanese Candies artists from the 1970s: Ito Ran, Yoshiko Tanaka, and Miki Fujimura.
Title:Photo of Japanese Singers Falsely Claimed as Cambodia’s Most Famous Artists
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: False
