Actor Ha Jung-woo Faces Backlash Over Inappropriate Nicknames on Social Media

Actor Ha Jung-woo is at the center of controversy due to his recent comments on social media.

On the 21st, Ha Jung-woo responded to a fan with the last name Choi who asked for a nickname by commenting "Choi-eum-je" (a play on words that sounds like an inappropriate term in Korean).

As the comment gained attention and was criticized for being inappropriate, Ha Jung-woo deleted it.

His agency, Workhouse Company, issued a statement on the same day, saying, "We sincerely apologize to the individual who may have been offended by our artist's (Ha Jung-woo) social media activity. The actor has also personally reached out to the fan to apologize and discuss the matter. We promise to be more cautious and considerate in our communication with fans in the future."

Despite the apology, the controversy continues to grow, as this is not the first time Ha Jung-woo has been criticized for his choice of nicknames.

Previously, he referred to a fan with the last name Byun as "Byun-gi" (toilet), and to a fan named Park Bo-ryun as "Park Bo-ryum" (volume). He also called a fan named Sun Hye-mi "Sun Hee-ae-mi" and responded to a request for lunch recommendations with "Omurice" (a play on words in Korean).

Fans and the public alike are expressing their disapproval of Ha Jung-woo's casual use of inappropriate language.

Reported by Ryu Ye-ji, TenAsia ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr