Amid ongoing fruitless debate over RESCENE member Won-i's '무섭노' expression, opinion is tilting toward it being an everyday dialect and regional speech. Attention is focused on whether the exhausting debate that began on the 1st can finally come to an end.
The RESCENE Won-i dialect controversy began when a producer at a broadcasting company in the Gyeongnam region raised the issue on social media. The producer claimed that in a video posted on the YouTube channel "안녕하세요원이입니다잘부탁드립니다," Won-i exchanged the expression "무섭노" with the production team and argued it was an "Ilbe-style expression."
Some netizens argued that because Won-i is from Geoje, Gyeongnam, the expression is a natural regional dialect. Others countered that the expression resembles language used on the online community "IlganBest" (Ilbe), and fierce debate followed. The controversy continued as politicians added their views.
With claims that it is "an Ilbe-style hateful expression" and opinions that it is "a dialect used in daily life" going back and forth, the momentum currently leans toward "it is not a hateful expression."
Cho Su-jin, a director at the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation and a lawyer, overturned her earlier claim that the expression was "indeed an Ilbe-style expression" and said, "I lacked understanding of the language of the younger generation, which omits many elements. I am worried my remarks may have hurt the artist, and I want to offer an apology."
Prominent Busan instructor Yun Do-young also reversed his claim that Won-i's expression was "Ilbe language" and said, "These days young people shorten their speech so much that they might omit '와 이리.' If I had not seen '도시노,' I would not have replied that '무섭노' was Ilbe language. Attaching '~노' to the ends of phrases is seen as a symbol of Ilbe culture, and I think Ilbe culture is infiltrating the younger generation. Won-i may have been influenced without realizing it and spoken that way, but I do not think she intentionally used Ilbe language. Common sense tells me a rising idol has no reason to do that. I hope Won-i keeps her distance from Ilbe culture and continues to prosper."
Shin Ji-young, professor of Korean language and literature at Korea University College of Humanities, said, "It is not an interrogative sentence but more like an exclamation, and in Gyeongsang dialect the '-o' form is used as an exclamatory form. If it can be replaced by '-ne,' it is an exclamation," and explained, "The PD first said '무섭노.' But that PD does not appear to be a speaker of that dialect. When Won-i then said '무섭노' back, it seems there was a misunderstanding like, 'Isn't this playing the "노노 game"?'"
Comedian Kim Si-deok, also from Gyeongsang Province, said, "The '무섭노' that RESCENE's Won-i used is indeed a sentence-ending particle used in interrogative forms. For some time people have labeled those who use the '-no' dialect as Ilbe, so I responded with 머라노 와이카노 일베 아이다. Intonation remains while words are forgotten and even sentence endings fade, but I think dialects are also a valuable cultural asset of Korea."
Won-i's hometown also stepped forward. Through a statement, Byeon Gwang-yong, mayor of Geoje, said, "The expression in question is a dialect and colloquial expression used routinely in the Gyeongnam region, and it is not appropriate to interpret it as having a particular political intent, which is Geoje City's position," and added, "The indiscriminate spread of unverified facts and excessive criticism can cause harm to the person involved."
The fruitless debate surrounding Won-i has continued for a week. As opinion shifts toward the expression being an everyday dialect rather than an Ilbe-style expression, RESCENE, the group Won-i belongs to, has released a remake single, "Pretty Girl," and is actively promoting.
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