A male K-Pop idol, who previously comforted his close female idol friend after her father’s passing and received applause for it, has now become the center of controversy due to his harsh remarks.
Recently, BTOB‘s Lee Changsub appeared on the YouTube channel 12F in a content titled “It Only Takes 3 Seconds to Steal Your Girlfriend.”
In this content, a story was shared about a boyfriend who drives to pick up his girlfriend for dates but expects her to throw away his coffee cups and water bottles every time. Lee Changsub sided with the boyfriend, along with Kwak Beom and Kim Ji Yu.
The problem arose as somewhat aggressive statements were made during the discussion. Supporting the boyfriend in the “trash debate,” Lee Changsub said things like “If I told you to take the bus, you’d probably sulk,” “It’s bad manners,” and “There’s no consideration at all.” After the broadcast, some criticized his remarks as excessive.
Eventually, Lee Changsub expressed his thoughts on a fan communication platform, saying, “There is a limit one should observe with others, but lately, while doing my schedules, I feel I have been crossing that line. I noticed I’ve become obsessed with having to do better, be more entertaining, and be more memorable. I’ve become dull to extreme things. It’s not easy, but I want to return to my original mindset.” Nevertheless, the controversy over his remarks has continued for several days.
Coincidentally, Lee Changsub had recently received praise for quietly comforting and reliably supporting his close friend Soyou, an original member of SISTAR, on the cable channel KBS Joy variety show Kkiri Kkiri.
In an episode aired on September 9th, Soyou revealed she participated in the program right after her father’s passing without informing the production team. Following her mother’s words, “Still, go and do your work,” she proceeded with the scheduled filming.
At that time, Soyou went on a trip with her close friends Lee Changsub and Jung Jinwoon. Soyou said, “I wasn’t going to tell the others, but then at night they suddenly asked if something had happened, so I told them. When I felt too sorry, they told me, ‘Don’t say sorry. Don’t force yourself to hype up your mood. We’ll take care of everything,’” expressing her gratitude.
In fact, during the broadcast, Lee Changsub attentively took care of Soyou along with Jung Jinwoon. When Soyou, emotionally fragile, couldn’t eat well, they cared for her. They monitored her mood changes and stayed quietly by her side. Even when the show’s nature required high energy, Lee Changsub stepped in to support Soyou so she wouldn’t struggle and tried to make her smile. He sincerely wished, “I hope this was a good trip for you.”
Soyou expressed thanks to Lee Changsub and Jung Jinwoon, who led and cared for the program on her behalf while she was grieving after her father’s passing. Viewers were touched by their quiet presence and thoughtful support beside Soyou.
Warm sentiments toward Lee Changsub had been ongoing, but it is disappointing that just days later, controversy arose over his provocative remarks in the “trash debate.”