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| Jay, member of K-pop boy band ENHYPEN / Courtesy of Belift Lab |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Jay of K-pop boy group ENHYPEN has made apologies, twice, after taking flak for allegedly belittling Korean history by likening it to a "short novel."
On Jan. 10, Jay caused a stir by claiming that it only takes a few weeks to study Korean history, as there is not much to it. In contrast, the history of other countries is "endless," he added.
The 20-year-old was born in the U.S. but was mostly educated in Korea. He currently holds dual nationality.
As the controversy grew, he made his first apology on Jan. 11, saying he chose his words poorly. In the statement, he said that he "did not intend" to belittle Korean history and that he would like to apologize regardless.
But numerous people pointed out that he used inappropriate words in the initial apology, which made him look insincere and unapologetic, thus leading him to make a second apology on Jan. 18.
"I want to apologize again for my remark on Korean history that I made during a live broadcast on Jan. 10," the singer wrote on fan platform Weverse. "I talked about the history of our country using my limited vocabulary, without knowing enough about its depth. During the broadcast, I expressed my thought using only limited information I came across and did not realize that it could deliver the wrong message. My bandmate (Sunghoon), who was next to me, tried to correct me, but I was not thoughtful enough to catch that."
Jay continued: "I am also sorry for the words I used in my previous apology. I should have been more prudent. As a person with a limited vocabulary who cannot even apologize properly, it was really careless for me to make an inaccurate comment about our history … I have been reflecting on myself, but I feel that is not enough. I have been constantly thinking about ways to prevent myself from repeating the same mistake, but I have not yet found the best answer. I will take time and show my efforts (to change) through actions."
The controversial remark by the globally popular K-pop star enraged many Koreans, who feared it would give the world an inaccurate perception of Korea.
"People around the world are now mocking our history thanks to Jay," an online user commented. "It is scary to see an unqualified person exercise a negative influence."
Jay debuted as part of ENHYPEN in 2020 with the EP, "Border: Day One." ENHYPEN is currently one of the most sought-after acts in the K-pop scene, and has been performing in various locations around the world since last year.
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