"The dead end mayor of Gyeongju". Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young, who made a disrespectful remark about g.o.d, saying 'they are past their prime', has eventually apologized.
On the 9th, a recording of the KBS 2TV entertainment program 'Immortal Songs' took place in Gyeongju. This event was planned as a '2025 Gyeongju APEC special'. As a result, g.o.d, Hwasa, ATEEZ, Lee Seung-yoon, Song So-hee, Jeong Dong-won, Jo Jae-jae, Kiki, and PSY appeared, spectacularly decorating the K-pop festival.
However, an incident occurred during the pre-recording held before the main recording. The Gyeongju mayor, who attended the pre-recording, remarked, "g.o.d was an artist for our generation, but hasn't it faded away?" At that time, he was holding the microphone. The audience gathered at the scene murmured upon hearing the mayor's disrespectful remark.
g.o.d is a team that debuted in 1999 as the first idol group of JYP Entertainment. They received great love with numerous hit songs starting from their debut song 'To Mother', including 'Lies', 'Road', 'Observation', 'Sadness', 'I Love You and Remember', 'Friday Night', 'A Single Candle', 'Sky-colored Balloon', 'Where You Should Be', '0%', and 'Ordinary Day'. In 2000, they swept 'Best Artist' awards from KBS, and in 2001 from KBS and SBS, as well as at the Golden Disk Awards, becoming a national idol.
Accordingly, g.o.d had also appeared on 'Immortal Songs' as the first idol group to be recognized as a 'legend'. Their presence still boasts prominence, and the Gyeongju mayor's remarks appeared to mock them, sparking criticism. Fans present at the venue, as well as internet users who heard the news on social media, shared the hashtag "Apologize, dead end mayor of Gyeongju". This hashtag quickly rose to become a trending topic, generating critical opinions.
Ultimately, Mayor Joo Nak-young released an apology through social media. He claimed, "The remarks were not intended to belittle any specific artist. It was a mention made with fondness and affection for g.o.d, who was loved and appreciated by our generation and is still actively performing today."
He continued, "However, the expression was insufficient, and if it hurt g.o.d's fans, I take it seriously and sincerely apologize. g.o.d is an artist representing Korean popular culture and has received love from many citizens for a long time. My family also enjoys their music, and my daughter, who is approaching middle age, still counts them as her favorite group. I vividly remember their music, and I watched the stage that day with delight."
Meanwhile, Park Jun-young, the eldest member and leader of g.o.d, also responded to the mayor's comments. After the recording, he left a video and message on social media for fans, saying, "You all worked so hard on this hot day. You are always the best. For those who came down here, be careful on your way back, watch out for the heat, and see you soon," and added, "It was genuinely hot, and everyone struggled a lot. I felt so hot while singing that my throat felt tight from the tie, starting from 'Where You Should Be' it felt a bit tough. But thanks to you all, I powered through, thank you."
Above all, Park Jun-young showed a noble character by saying, "No matter what anyone says, we are okay. We haven't been around for just a day or two. You know what I mean. I just hope you won't easily get hurt by someone's careless words. We are fine, so expand your hearts and don't get hurt. We love you all. Don't stress over trivial things. We still have greater things ahead."
[Photo] Provided by OSEN DB, KBS, SNS.
[OSEN]