Former S.E.S. singer Bada shared her first update after the controversy.
On the 26th, Bada uploaded a photo along with the words "I love you. My fans...♥" on her social account.
The released photo captured Bada with a bright smile against the backdrop of a sunset at the beach. Bada added the words "I will return to a deeper sea...♥" to express her gratitude to her fans.
Earlier, Bada was embroiled in a false advertising controversy earlier this month. She explained during an appearance in a YouTube beauty content that she first saw the product in Australia, but suspicions arose that the product was not Australian-made.
On the 5th, Bada posted a handwritten apology, stating, "I should have reviewed and judged more carefully before participating in the content, and I feel very ashamed about that. I confused everyone watching the channel by saying, 'I first saw this friend (product) when I went to Australia? It's quite famous.' I'm deeply reflecting on how this has caused confusion and distrust among many consumers, and I sincerely apologize."
She continued, "As a result of this incident, I will take a deeper look at the content and responsibility of any form of content moving forward, and I will strive to engage more carefully so that my words and actions do not cause pain or misunderstanding to anyone. I once again sincerely apologize to everyone who was disappointed by this incident, and I will work harder to stand before you with a more responsible attitude and mindset."
The YouTube channel production team also issued an official statement through Bada's fan cafe on the 15th, explaining, "The aforementioned comment was not based on Bada's experience but was a scripted advertisement based on information provided by the advertiser. After requesting the advertiser to review the script again to ensure there were no issues, we proceeded with it."
They added, "After the controversy erupted that the product was not Australian-made, we recognized the seriousness of the issue and immediately deleted the related videos. We sincerely apologize for the fact that the product introduced through our program conveyed information contrary to the truth, causing confusion to many consumers. We feel a heavy sense of responsibility as Bada, who has consistently done her best as a guest on our program, has suffered greatly due to this incident. We should have verified the product's origin and distribution information more meticulously in the preparation process for the sponsored product, but in our careful efforts to ascertain the accurate facts, we unfortunately caused harm to Bada and consumers due to insufficient action."
Nonetheless, some have criticized Bada, arguing that regardless of whether it was scripted, the act of pretending to use a product that was not actually used is problematic.
Subsequently, Bada completely halted her social media activities, but it appears she shared an update about three weeks later to express her gratitude to the fans who supported her. However, the post was deleted shortly after it was uploaded.
[Photo] Bada social media
[OSEN]