KBS's YouTube channel 'Donseontae' has reignited the controversy surrounding Lisenne member Woni's 'Musubno' remarks, leading to the channel's deletion. Following the decision to make a pre-released video private, the channel's disappearance has further fueled the debate.
On July 29, a pre-released video featuring Woni aired at 6 PM, where host Kim Seontae directly addressed the past controversy over Woni's 'Musubno' comments.
In the video, Kim Seontae stated, "As the saying goes, 'Good fortune brings many words,'" referencing the 'Musubno' controversy. Woni responded, "It was terrifying to suddenly be in the news. Since then, I've felt I need to be very careful with every word I say. I realized that even if I didn't intend it, others could interpret it differently."
Woni explained that 'no' was a word he often used as an exclamation, to which Kim Seontae remarked, "That was a level of controversy created out of nothing." However, he followed up with, "Did you ever think it was viral?"
Woni expressed concern that his name in the news might harm the group, while fellow member Minami also mentioned feeling flustered by appearing in the news.
Later, Kim Seontae requested Woni to say something in dialect, to which Woni replied in Gyeongsang dialect, "I don't even know what that is," and "I just said it. Look at it nicely."
After the video was released, viewers criticized the decision to revisit a settled controversy, suggesting it was an attempt to boost viewership.
As the backlash grew, the production team modified the video thumbnail and hashtags, and deleted critical comments.
However, criticism persisted, and the pre-released video was made private on YouTube just four hours after its release.
Online, criticism directed at host Kim Seontae continued.
Netizens questioned, "I don't understand why someone who emphasized political neutrality would ask a politically controversial question to an idol," and suggested that he prioritized controversy over protecting the guest, stating, "It seems he exploited sensitive issues for viewership."
Particularly, a previous episode of the YouTube channel 'Salon Drip' featuring Lisenne was also revisited.
During that episode, host Jang Do-yeon expressed her hope that the members would not get hurt, shedding tears, which led some netizens to comment on the stark contrast in how the guests were treated.
Additionally, related complaints were submitted to the KBS viewer petition board.
The petitioner stated, "Revisiting a controversy that has already ended is akin to re-traumatizing someone who has been victimized," questioning the necessity for a public broadcaster to revisit politically sensitive expressions.
They also noted, "While the circumstances during filming are understandable, airing that scene without editing was inappropriate," and requested that such content not be included in the main broadcast.
Meanwhile, some netizens argued that this issue is not unique to KBS but reflects a broader problem within legacy media that sensationalizes provocative topics.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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