“Find Me In Your Memory” Idol-Turned-Actor Lee Jin Hyuk Criticized After He “Disrespects” Co-Star In A Live Broadcast
Earlier this week, the female cast of Find Me In Your Memory spent time hosting a live broadcast and communicating with the viewers. Two actresses from the show, Kim Seul Gi and Moon Ga Young, streamed from Moon Ga Young’s character Yeo Ha Jin’s Instagram account.
In this broadcast, the two actresses interacted using their character names, keeping it an “act” to entertain the viewers who watch the K-Drama. When they said goodbye at the end of the broadcast, Kim Seul Gi mentioned her idol-turned-actor co-star Lee Jin Hyuk, from the group UP10TION and the recent TV program PRODUCE X 101, who had been supporting the live stream in the chat. Keeping in character, Kim Seul Gi commented, “I’ll see you later, babe” — since the two are a couple in the show.
Unfortunately, this part of the “act” did not get too well received by some of Lee Jin Hyuk’s fans. When the frustration with Kim Seul Gi spiked for her calling Lee Jin Hyuk “babe“, Kim Seul Gi allegedly apologized to Lee Jin Hyuk for creating the buzz.
On May 9, 2020, Lee Jin Hyuk appeared in his own live broadcast, to explain what really happened between him and Kim Seul Gi — in which he then became heavily criticized by viewers for “sounding like he has attitude problems.”
Lee Jin Hyuk commented, “She apologized to me. She said she was keeping in character for the live broadcast and the whole thing came out without really registering. So… I told her okay. I’m going to let it go…”
Korean netizens found his explanation to be rude, especially because “Kim Seul Gi is his acting sunbae” and because “He also commented in character too, so he knew the whole broadcast had been a skit.” They argued, “To say he’s letting it go sounds like Kim Seul Gi did something horrendous to him and he’s forgiving her for it — but she only responded to his in-character comment with an in-character comment.”
- “I saw the live broadcast and I swear I thought he was drunk or something… He was rude AF.”
- “Shouldn’t it be his fans saying sorry to Kim Seul Gi?”
- “I really don’t like the way he talked about Kim Seul Gi. Letting it go? Who do you think you are? LMAO. He and his fans should be the ones saying sorry to Kim Seul Gi.”
- “What the f*ck, this is kind of shocking.”
- “It was during a live broadcast on an Instagram account that belongs to the drama character. It was meant to be a skit. Everyone was in character. It was supposed to be an extension of the show. So why is he making Kim Seul Gi sound like the bad person here?”
- “What a f*cking weirdo…”
Lee Jin Hyuk’s additional comments throughout the stream also irritated some netizens. To his fans who got upset about Kim Seul Gi, Lee Jin Hyuk remarked, “I’m stepping in to scold you guys because apparently you guys are making a big deal out of the whole thing. Look, I’m handling it. And I know what I’m doing.”
To other fans who insisted that he must “act like an idol“, he scoffed and said, “Wow, you guys… What will you guys ever do if I start taking lead roles in the future?”
야.. 너네는 내가 주연맡으면 어떡할라고 그러냐 pic.twitter.com/8RS5uZL7Lt
— 쉽게만살아가면재미없어빙고 (@lifeisan_egg) May 9, 2020
Most netizens found Lee Jin Hyuk’s “vibe” in this broadcast to be weird and off-putting. Some found the specific vocabulary used in this to be condescending and problematic. The most furious group of netizens pointed out, “Why does he sound like an arrogant piece of sh*t?”
- “Every single word he said in the broadcast is off-putting.”
- “The way he says the things he says… It’s shocking. What happened to him since PRODUCE X 101?”
- “Geez. He must think he’s some hot sh*t already. But you’re a nobody. How sad.”
- “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact he talks to his fans like that… Who does he think he is?”
- “His attitude is so…”
Meanwhile, Lee Jin Hyuk’s fans are coming to his defense and claiming that he “didn’t mean to sound rude” and that he “must have been really tired.” Lee Jin Hyuk is yet to respond to the growing online criticism.
