Singer Park Nam-jung sparked an unexpected controversy after expressing personal thoughts about smoking on a broadcast. He described cigarettes as "essential to life," but opinions are divided over whether it was a principled remark or an inappropriate comment.
On the 15th, a video titled "First reveal of STAYC song behind the scenes | I brought my dad (Feat. Park Nam-jung)" was posted on the YouTube channel "Sangsu-dong studio." The broadcast featured Park Nam-jung, his daughter, and STAYC member Park Si-eun. When the conversation turned to health care, composer Lado asked, "Do you exercise, drink alcohol, or smoke?" Park Nam-jung replied, "For exercise I only run. I set specific days for smoking. Only on Wednesday afternoons every week," and added, "I don't know what others think, but I consider smoking essential to my life."
He added, "It helps clear distracting thoughts and organize my mind," and said, "Even if my daughter smokes, I wouldn't encourage it, but I wouldn't stop her. I think it's better than being ruined by stress." In response, Park Si-eun said, "My dad always said, 'Even if you drink or smoke, do it at home. Don't do it secretly,'" and laughed, adding, "That doesn't mean I did it."
Once the broadcast was released, netizen reactions were mixed. Some said, "Smoking is a personal freedom," and "His candid attitude is healthier," but many criticized, "Describing cigarettes as 'essential to life' was inappropriate," and "A public figure with influence should have considered the impact on young people."
Especially as scenes of drinking broadcasts and indoor smoking have been exposed without filters on OTT and YouTube, fueling social controversy, Park Nam-jung's remarks are being viewed as more problematic in this context. Article 28 of the Broadcasting Act states that "broadcasts should be cautious not to glamorize or encourage content such as drinking and smoking," but platforms like YouTube and OTT are not subject to this regulation.
Experts pointed out that "a celebrity's remarks can be received as a social message beyond mere personal expression," and said a balance between free expression of conviction and public responsibility is needed, especially because such comments can be harmful to young people.
Ultimately, this controversy raises the long-standing question of how far statements by public figures with influence should be permitted, beyond whether Park Nam-jung's remarks were simply "advocating smoking" or a "personal, candid confession." Above all, critics say that as a celebrity who influences the public, he should be careful about his comments.
[Photo] OSEN, Park Nam-jung, YouTube
[OSEN]