International Fans Exacerbate ENHYPEN Ni-ki’s Controversy Surrounding Korea’s Independence Movement Day
ENHYPEN’s Ni-ki is currently under fire for his comment about South Korea’s Independence Movement Day. On January 29, 2024, Ni-ki originally uploaded an encouraging message for fans. As it was a Friday the next day, he told fans to hang in there a little longer. A fan later alerted him to the fact that it was a public holiday for Independence Movement Day and that they could rest. He then replied with “I’m jealous,” which led to the controversy.
South Koreans have not taken to this positively. The movement was one that called for liberation from Imperial Japan and to stop the forced assimilation into Japanese culture. Many feel that he should have studied basic Korean history or knowledge as an idol based in South Korea.
Netizens Enraged Over ENHYPEN Ni-ki’s Independence Movement Day Comment Controversy
It seems like international fans have made the situation worse for the star. With the ongoing negative impression due to the controversy, international fans who have stepped up to shield him have exacerbated the matter. The Korean public expressed that international fans were crossing the line by dismissing their cultural and historical roots. While some international fans have reasoned that they should step out of the matter…
okay okay i get it now. this is a sensitive topic between korean politics and japan. we should be understandable for those knetz but please don't throw words to ni-ki. his apology is enough, he's not aware of such confidential topics. and we should not blame knetz for this https://t.co/vEnz558IBC
— selene (@jwcsch) February 29, 2024
i engenes would never learn 🤡
should have stop when niki apologise
cuz of his ignorance, but here yall AGAIN making this an even bigger issue when yall f-ing knew by now #enhypen idol reputation among knetz isn’t that goodyall really want enha to get dragged so bad https://t.co/iboaliaPZu pic.twitter.com/PTpJUyu5QG
— 🦊🎻🐆 (@sunhaoyun_34) February 29, 2024
…others have insisted that Ni-ki did nothing wrong.
he didn't even say anything wrong yet he apologized for it. what happened to treating idols better? especially this kid who's been receiving unnecessary hate for now reason. please let's not make a big deal out of this and just let our boys enjoy their well deserved break :( https://t.co/LnnenHr8Ja
— essie 🎀 always with en- (@sunhypenlvr) February 29, 2024
They have also insisted that Koreans were being overly sensitive.
Ni-ki you do nothing wrong bby 🧡 they’re just being sensitive. It’s okayyy we’ve got your back!! @ENHYPEN_members #ENHYPEN_NI_KI
— KEYNA 🐹 (@keyna_hypen) March 1, 2024
The overwhelming sentiment from international fans got back to the Korean public when a community post about the international reactions went viral. The post translated international fans’ comments into Korean, stating that most international fans were claiming that Ni-ki did not do anything wrong, and that K-Netz were making a fuss.
This is what 99% of international fans have been saying.
- He’s not Korean! It’s possible he doesn’t know!
- What’s going on?
- If he apologized, then that’s it. Let’s send him love.
- Koreans are so sensitive… I’m sick of how they always pick on foreign members.
- I also forget my country’s public holidays! What’s the problem if a foreigner doesn’t know?
- K-Pop always makes noise about Japan around this time of the year. Aren’t they sick of it?
- Don’t apologize.
- IDC we love you.
— Korean netizens translating international reactions
International response angered the Korean public even more.
- I mean, there’s truckloads of i-Roaches who don’t care if their country gets colonized too, so I get it LOL. Did they grow up without education on history? Hope they stop yapping about Starbucks. We don’t want to understand either.
- LOL if they’re gonna be like that, why do they like Korean idols? Go and like your own country’s singers.
- If you’re gonna be an idol in Korea, be more careful.
- If you are going to be an idol in Korea, you need to have some self-awareness. What are they saying? If you’re going to be like that, just be a Japanese idol.
- F*ck I’m so angry.
- F*ck, the international fans should get lost.
- People unrelated are barking.
- LOL what are you going to do? If a Japanese is earning money in Korea, they need to take this into account and be careful. A hundred years have passed since we gained independence.
- These kids are always becoming controversial for such things.
- Regarding such sensitive matters of history, if you’re not Korean, you should be quiet… Honestly if you’re going to call people who were colonized sensitive… ugh.
- If you don’t like the “sensitive Koreans,” then don’t promote in Korea. No one will stop you from going back to your country.
- If you don’t like us being sensitive, then fangirl on the singers from your own country. No one is stopping you from leaving.
- You’re the ones who are telling our country’s idols to not do this or that with all sorts of issues about the Muslims or the Black people, so how dare you touch things relevant to our history? Shut up. Try to think about how it would feel like if your grandmother was killed [in the movement].
- Why are you insisting on being a singer in “sensitive Korea?” It’s not too late so you can go back to your country. They’re just blaming us for being sensitive?
- And they were yapping about Palestine… Shut up about such issues then.
The situation has taken a worse turn due to international reaction and many believe that international fans should not step up to shield Ni-ki regarding the matter. Ni-ki has since apologized.
