Group (G)I-DLE member Woo-ki, who warmed fans with deep affection, reflected on his reckless comments regarding the purchase of concert tickets with his own money and conveyed his intention to be more cautious in the future.
Looking back a year ago, Woo-ki made headlines with a grand gesture of giving back. Known for his attentiveness towards fans, Woo-ki gifted restaurant gift certificates worth 100,000 won to about 100 fans who participated in a pre-recording of a music broadcasting program. At the time, he was promoting a solo album and expressed his gratitude to fans who came out on a rainy morning to support him.
However, now a year later, Woo-ki's love for fans is under scrutiny. In a web entertainment program released on the 13th, he spoke about purchasing tickets with his own money to give to acquaintances for the concert, stating, "It’s our concert, but we have to buy tickets with our own money," and "Only four tickets per person are free, the rest we have to pay for ourselves," which sparked controversy among some netizens.
In a situation where fans are struggling to secure tickets and pay expenses, his comments were deemed somewhat reckless. Given Woo-ki's usual deep love for fans, the remarks raised doubts about his sincerity.
In response, Woo-ki personally expressed his apology during a press conference to commemorate the release of (G)I-DLE's mini album "We are."
Woo-ki acknowledged that his remarks, made in the lighthearted atmosphere of a variety show, could have been taken differently and hurt fans. He also showed sincere remorse for the impact of his reckless comments.
Woo-ki apologized, saying, "I'm truly sorry if any fans were hurt," emphasizing that he knows better than anyone that the concert cannot be held without the fans. He explained that the controversial remarks were merely a lighthearted joke or complaint towards the company and were never meant to disregard fans. He promised to be more cautious in the future to prevent similar misunderstandings and conveyed his intention to show a more careful demeanor as someone in a position to communicate with the public. Member So-yeon also conveyed Woo-ki's sincerity and sought the fans' warm gaze.
Woo-ki, who expressed deep affection for fans through a grand gesture of giving back, quickly reflected on his recklessness and showed responsibility by apologizing after becoming embroiled in controversy due to an unintended slip of the tongue on a variety show. Although the comment came from a variety show, it served as a reminder of how heavy the weight of a single word can be.
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