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THE BOYZ’s Sunwoo faces backlash for saying people should ‘know when to stop’ amid ‘ridiculous’ earphones controversy
THE BOYZ’s Sunwoo faces renewed backlash over the viral AirPod incident as netizens criticize his follow-up comments, while fans continue to defend him. Read on for full details.
Sunwoo of THE BOYZ has once again found himself embroiled in controversy after comments he made regarding the viral AirPods incident, a situation that has reignited a storm of criticism from netizens. The controversy initially sparked when a brief video clip showing Sunwoo dropping his AirPods quickly gained traction online, eventually leading to intense backlash. However, Sunwoo’s response, both initially and in the aftermath, has only fueled the fire.
The incident in question took place at a public event when Sunwoo was caught on camera dropping his AirPods while walking. As the clip went viral, viewers noticed that a security guard swiftly came to his aid, picking up the dropped AirPods. What caught the attention of many, however, was Sunwoo’s reaction. The idol didn't make any effort to pick it up himself and instead waited for the staff to hand it to him, which triggered a wave of negative comments. Some netizens claimed that Sunwoo’s failure to thank the guard indicated a lack of manners and respect.
Despite the clip’s brief nature, the video amassed over 11 million views, and the criticism rapidly spread across social media platforms. Sunwoo, in his initial response, shared a written explanation on social media, denying any ill intent and expressing confusion at the scale of the backlash. He stated that the entire situation was a misunderstanding and that he had not meant to appear disrespectful. The controversy didn’t end there, as actress Nana also commented on the incident, calling out Sunwoo for his behavior.
Rather than diffusing the situation, Sunwoo’s initial attempt to clarify the incident did little to quell the growing outrage. In fact, the matter was reignited when Sunwoo brought up the topic again in a private fan messaging platform. This time, his comments were more personal and reflective but also expressed frustration at being judged so harshly over what he saw as a fleeting and minor incident.
In the message, Sunwoo said, "But really… I never do anything like this behind closed doors, but who is crazy enough to yell at the security guard to pick up AirPods in front of all those fans? I just find this so ridiculous that while I am reflecting on myself, I can’t believe people are judging me with a few-second video clip. And to think that I am getting so much hate for saying something to the people leaving malicious comments… people are so scary."
He further expressed, “People need to know when to stop so that I can just shut up and let it go…but I’m going to talk about it because I feel like I am going to rot if I don’t let it out. I know there are fans who won’t like this, and I’m really sorry.” Sunwoo’s words further fueled the controversy, as many fans and netizens criticized him for not taking full accountability for the incident. Some felt that instead of reflecting on his actions, Sunwoo seemed to be defending himself and pushing back against the backlash.
While the backlash against Sunwoo grew louder, his fans, known as Deobies, began to rally behind him, defending his character and long-standing behavior. As the backlash continued to spiral, Sunwoo addressed his fans again, attempting to ease their concerns.
In another message, he reassured them by saying, “Anyway, I’m used to being cursed at, so please stop worrying about me! I’m really fine. They might be uncomfortable through my actions, but Deobies who have known me for a few years know me better than those who have only seen me for a few seconds.” While his fans expressed their concern, Sunwoo tried to convey that he was not fazed by the negativity. "I’m just saying, because they’re really cursing me out to death," he wrote, referring to the intense online hate he had been receiving.
In his follow-up message, Sunwoo promised to work harder to avoid being misunderstood and ensure that fans don’t have to defend him. He acknowledged that he needs to improve his image, take responsibility for his mistakes, and apologize when necessary. He also mentioned that he would clarify any false accusations, even if it becomes exhausting.
