On August 15th, South Korea marked the 79th anniversary of Liberation Day, celebrating the country’s independence from Japanese rule and the establishment of its government. Many stars, along with the public, shared photos of the Korean flag on social media, reflecting on the historical significance of the day.
Various artists, including Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and Yuri, Jun Hyoseong, Highlight’s Yoon Doojoon and Im Siwan, B1A4’s Sandeul, EXID’s Solji and Ellie, WINNER’s Kang Seungyoon, Yoon Jisung, Nancy, Choi Yoojung, and Forestella, posted pictures of the flag with messages of remembrance, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting the day.
However, Stray Kids’ Felix found himself in hot water on the 15th after recommending a Japanese song while discussing a short-form challenge with fans on the communication platform Bubble. He quickly apologized, stating, “I sincerely apologize for my lack of caution and thoughtlessness on this meaningful Liberation Day. I deeply reflect on my lack of historical awareness. I will study more about the aspects I am lacking in and act more cautiously to prevent this from happening again.”
Tomorrow X Together’s Yeonjun also faced criticism after posting photos taken in Japan on Liberation Day, although he swiftly deleted them. He apologized, saying, “I apologize to everyone who was hurt by my wrong actions. I will reflect on my shortcomings and be more careful in the future to prevent such incidents.”
Additionally, the project group BDX garnered criticism after posting a sticker photo with Japanese text on their official SNS on the 15th, stating, “We’ll be going to Purikura with Byu,” which was seen as inappropriate given the significance of the day.
WEi’s Junseo also faced backlash for responding in Japanese during a conversation with fans on Liberation Day. Although it was presumed he was responding to a Japanese fan, some criticized him for using Japanese when replying to a question in Korean on such an important day.
Previously, in 2016, Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany faced a major controversy after posting a photo with the Japanese flag emoji on SNS on Liberation Day. She issued two separate apologies following the incident. Block B’s P.O. also faced criticism during his group’s activities for wearing an outfit with Japanese text during a Liberation Day event.
In 2020, EXO’s Chanyeol was criticized for covering a Japanese song on his SoundCloud account on Liberation Day. He uploaded a cover of Kenshi Yonezu’s “Lemon,” but due to the backlash, he later deleted the track.
On the other hand, Jun Hyoseong, who had previously faced backlash for making incorrect statements about history on a radio program, has since consistently studied Korean history. She even passed the third level of the Korean History Proficiency Test.
This year, she posted a picture of the Korean flag on Liberation Day with the message, “I will never forget the sacrifices made by those who protected Korea through all hardships and adversities. I will live with gratitude and never forget.”
Jun Hyoseong’s actions, which have shown her growth following the criticism, have set an example for other stars.
As South Korea commemorates the 79th anniversary of Liberation Day, the repeated actions of idols who lack historical awareness continue to be a point of contention. Some argue that criticizing idols for simply taking photos in Japan or using Japanese is unreasonable. However, given the significance of the liberation achieved through the immense suffering of the ancestors, there is a growing call for more mindful and cautious behavior, especially on this important day.
Source: Daum
