ENHYPEN Ni-ki‘s apology over recent comments has not been met well.
On February 29, Ni-ki posted on Weverse, encouraging fans to make it through the week as the weekend was approaching soon. The post included the caption and a scenic photo.
As long as you hang in there for tomorrow, it’ll be the weekend…hwaiting Engene. Heh.
— Ni-ki
Fans commented on his post, letting the idol know that the next day was a public holiday, Independence Movement Day (also known as the March 1st Movement). Ni-Ki replied to comments, first showing that he did not know the next day was a holiday and expressing envy over a fan being able to rest.
Fan: Yeah, tomorrow is independence Movement Day, so we’re resting.
Ni-ki: Yeah, I’m jealous, heh
The March 1st Movement was a massive protest by the Korean people in 1919 that fought for independence against Imperial Japan and forced assimilation. More than a thousand demonstrations took place across South Korea, resulting in an estimated 7,500 people losing their lives.
After Korea gained independence, March 1 was marked as a national holiday.
Ni-ki is a Japanese idol, and his comments did not sit well with netizens who criticized him and HYBE. Many felt that if an idol promotes in Korea as a K-Pop idol, they should be aware of the nation’s significant holidays.
Netizens Enraged Over ENHYPEN Ni-ki’s Independence Movement Day Comment Controversy
Not long after, Ni-ki shared an apology on Weverse for his “wrongdoing” in the now-deleted posts.
Hello. This is Ni-ki. I apologize for my careless expression regarding the March 1st Indepedence Movement Day, an important day of national commemoration. I have realized my mistake and immediately deleted the said post. I will be more careful in the future.
— Ni-ki
Netizens reacted to the apology with disdain, feeling unimpressed by his apology.
- Japanese b*stards really…
- Hybe, properly educate the kids.
- Three lines lol
- HYBE’s higher ups are pro-Japanese so… from Liberation Day to recommending Japanese anime
- The I-roaches are already going crazy cursing knetz saying this isn’t something to apologize over
- So did you learn what kind of day it is?
Due to Korea’s history of colonization by Japan, instances like these are often met with massive backlash, even when it is Korean citizens sharing content.
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