Korean goddess Jun Ji-hyun's mother-in-law, designer Lee Jung-yoo, pushed 'BTS' (Bangtan Sonyeondan) into the eye of an online storm with a post saying 'The kids still can’t speak English after 10 years.' What was originally a fan's playful 'teasing out of love' was blown out of proportion and instantly set off a battlefield on Korean social media.
The incident began last weekend with BTS’ comeback livestream drawing huge buzz. Lee Jung-yoo couldn’t help but post supportive comments on social media, lavishly praising BTS's new album 'ARIRANG' for keeping listeners hooked from start to finish, and exclaiming 'I want to listen to all 14 songs.' However, her offhand comment with a hint of humor became the spark. Netizens were quickly divided into two camps—some saw it as just a fan’s everyday banter, while others criticized, 'such remarks are disrespectful to internationally recognized artists.' The discussion escalated, even debating whether celebrity family members should speak out at all.
In response to the controversy, Lee Jung-yoo quickly stepped in for damage control, emphasizing she’s just an ordinary fan and her post simply reflected her amusement at the members’ interactions. 'How could I possibly criticize a group I’ve loved for 10 years?' she said, helplessly adding, 'Does being a celebrity’s family member mean you have to be extremely cautious even about being a fan?'
Agency’s Stocks Plunge
BTS made their comeback after 3 years and 9 months, holding a concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square. Amid heavy promotion, it was predicted that 260,000 fans would attend, but actual turnout fell far short of expectations. On the morning of the 23rd, BTS's agency 'HYBE' saw its stock price plummet by over 15%—the largest single-day decline since June 2022.
Authorities previously forecast 260,000 attendees, and the Seoul government even issued a 'disaster warning,' mobilizing over ten thousand police officers to the venue for crowd control. However, official figures released by HYBE were 104,000 attendees, while police and Korean media estimates ranged between 40,000 and 60,000. This sell-off suggests some investors are concerned about the controversy over attendance, seeing it as potential evidence of waning fan enthusiasm or a warning about the accuracy of HYBE’s reporting.
News source: Liberty Times Entertainment
In response to the controversy, Lee Jung-yoo quickly stepped in for damage control, emphasizing she’s just an ordinary fan and her post simply reflected her amusement at the members’ interactions. 'How could I possibly criticize a group I’ve loved for 10 years?' she said, helplessly adding, 'Does being a celebrity’s family member mean you have to be extremely cautious even about being a fan?'
Agency’s Stocks Plunge
BTS made their comeback after 3 years and 9 months, holding a concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square. Amid heavy promotion, it was predicted that 260,000 fans would attend, but actual turnout fell far short of expectations. On the morning of the 23rd, BTS's agency 'HYBE' saw its stock price plummet by over 15%—the largest single-day decline since June 2022.
Authorities previously forecast 260,000 attendees, and the Seoul government even issued a 'disaster warning,' mobilizing over ten thousand police officers to the venue for crowd control. However, official figures released by HYBE were 104,000 attendees, while police and Korean media estimates ranged between 40,000 and 60,000. This sell-off suggests some investors are concerned about the controversy over attendance, seeing it as potential evidence of waning fan enthusiasm or a warning about the accuracy of HYBE’s reporting.
News source: Liberty Times Entertainment