RIIZE's Sungchan has found himself in hot water with Japanese fans after a recent comment he made during a 'Show! Music Core' pre-recording of "Memories".

While chatting with fans on September 2, Sungchan initially mentioned that he preferred sushi over pizza for dinner. However, he quickly changed his mind, signaling 'no' with an 'x' sign.

This seemingly harmless remark has caused quite a stir on online forums. Some netizens speculate that Sungchan's comment reflects his concerns about the reported dangers of consuming raw fish, especially in light of Japan's recent release of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power facility into the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese fans took to social media to express their disappointment, with comments like, "I can't believe he made a remark downgrading Japan while his fellow Japanese member, Shotaro, was present," and "This is even worse than the Sushi Land comment. Has he forgotten that Shotaro is Japanese?"

As a result, Sungchan's name started trending on Twitter in Japan. K-netizens also joined the discussion.

Many of them argued that Sungchan was simply expressing caution about eating raw seafood, given the recent wastewater discharge, and they suggested that Shotaro should also be careful.

Here are some reactions from K-netizens:

"This isn't about nationalism; it's about being cautious."

"I'll remember Sungchan's name now. He's just being careful."

"Why is he receiving hate? He's just looking out for his health."

"Shotaro is unfairly getting blamed. Let's support him."

"Shouldn't Shotaro also avoid it? lol"

"Everyone should be cautious and avoid it."

"How can you argue against being careful about the wastewater discharge?"

"It's natural for people to be cautious after the recent discharge."

"Sure, go ahead and eat a lot of it…"

"I doubt Shotaro would be thrilled about eating it either."

What are your thoughts?

Source[1]

Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.

On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.

Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.

During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.

In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.

Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.

The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.

Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.

On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.

After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"

Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.

Source (1)