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]
