Singer Lim Young-woong, who faced a backlash over the 'DM' (direct message) controversy, will stand in front of fans at a concert today (27th).
Lim Young-woong will hold the 'Lim Young-woong Recital' (RE:CITAL) concert at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul for six days from today (27th) until Jan. 4 next year. This performance is especially notable because it is Lim Young-woong's first official appearance after maintaining silence for 20 days following the 'DM' remarks.
Earlier, on the 7th, Lim Young-woong posted a birthday message for a pet on his social networking service (SNS), saying, “Happy birthday to our Siwol.” Normally, fans would have offered their congratulations, but on that day, some netizens criticized the situation as it coincided with President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration and lifting of martial law, and the dismissal of the impeachment bill.
Eventually, controversy arose when a netizen captured and posted a DM exchange in a community with a person presumed to be Lim Young-woong.
A netizen sent a message to the person presumed to be Lim Young-woong saying, “What are you doing in these times?” To which the person replied, “What.” The netizen then wrote, “The entire nation is gathered over the impeachment bill against the president who declared martial law unconstitutionally. I don't expect you to voice out, but it's really indifferent.” The person replied, “Am I a politician? Why should I voice out?”
Later online, some continued to criticize the posting of everyday photos and careless remarks amidst a chaotic national situation, while others argued that, though posting personal photos might be careless, there is freedom in choosing not to make political statements. Amid this, both Lim Young-woong and his agency remained silent without any statements or explanations, further fueling the controversy.
Criticism directed at Lim Young-woong was intense. Cultural critic Kim Kap-su sharply criticized, saying, “Such an attitude reflects a lack of basic civic awareness,” adding, “Even if one cannot speak out actively, assuming a bystander attitude means they lack the qualifications of Koreans who have arduously made Korean history until now.”
Food columnist Hwang Gyo-ik also pointed out, “Not making political statements is a freedom,” but added, “However, saying that only politicians can voice political opinions can sound insulting to citizens who brave the cold to express their political views in public squares, as if saying, ‘You’re not politicians, are you?’”
Attention is focused on whether Lim Young-woong will address the recent controversies in front of his fans or continue to remain silent.