Comedian Lee Suji, who was embroiled in controversy while satirizing the reality of public officials harassed by malicious civil complaints, apologized 18 days after releasing the YouTube video.
Lee Suji said on the 1st via her YouTube channel "Hot Issue Ji," "I am truly sorry for disappointing and inconveniencing many people with this matter," and noted, "I will take this matter seriously and take sufficient time to regroup."
Lee Suji also posted a handwritten apology along with the notice. In the apology, Lee said, "Regardless of my intention to create laughter, I take seriously the fact that I ultimately caused hurt and discomfort to someone," and added, "I did not fully consider that my acting and content could come across as hurtful or unpleasant to someone."
Lee continued, "With a more cautious attitude and a greater sense of responsibility, I will strive to be a comedian who delivers healthy laughter that many people can relate to," and said, "I sincerely apologize once again to everyone who was hurt and disappointed by my shortcomings."
Earlier, in a video released on the 14th of last month, Lee Suji sparked controversy by staging a scene in which, while acting as a public official, a civil petitioner shouted, "By-election!" Among some online users, criticism arose that the depiction mocked citizens demanding a by-election amid protests over the shortage of ballot papers in the June 3 local elections. As the controversy grew, the production team explained there was no political intent and deleted the video.