Fact Check: Did ZEROBASEONE’s Kim Jiwoong Gift Han Yujin $22 Soccer Cleats For His Birthday?

ZEROBASEONE‘s Kim Jiwoong is currently receiving hate online. In a viral tweet that received over 400,000 views, a fan of Han Yujin reposted another tweet claiming that Kim Jiwoong had gifted Yujin a cheap pair of soccer cleats for his birthday. The original post claimed that they wanted to buy the same pair of cleats that Yujin had received but had been unable to find it on any official retail site. Later on, they did a Google Lens search, resulting it them locating the pair on Coupang for ₩30,000 KRW (about $22.20 USD). The pair sold on Coupang were cheap knockoffs of Nike, who never released the design at all.

The fan was absolutely incensed, posting the accusation with the caption, “Should I really k*ll Kim Jiwoong?”

Were the pair of shoes truly gifted by the star? The answer is yes…and no. Kim Jiwoong did give him the pair of sneakers as part of a gift exchange that was held on live stream. He wanted to give Han Yujin soccer cleats as it reminded him of his own childhood. However, he did not choose them himself. It was part of an event organized by the company. Each ZEROBASEONE member had to write down the gift they wanted to get Yujin. The staff then bought various cheap or toy versions of the suggested gifts as a live stream event.

Zhang Hao also wrote that he wanted to give Yujin a teacup. The request was later realized through the form of a toy set.

The whole matter was a planned event by the company to celebrate Yujin’s birthday. Kim Jiwoong did not intend to gift a cheap pair of cleats to the maknae at all.