SUPER JUNIOR HEECHUL Issues Apology Over Incheon's Liberation Day Banner Controversy

SUPER JUNIOR member HEECHUL issued an apology on the 9th regarding his criticism of the South Korean flag pattern on a Liberation Day commemoration banner posted by Incheon City.

Through his social media that day, HEECHUL stated, "It might seem absurd for you to see an apology just a day later, but this is clearly my fault. I failed to properly recognize the shape of a person holding something and reacted angrily just at the sight of the Taegeukgi drawing. This is clearly my fault caused by a lack of spatial awareness and impatience."

He added, "Once bitten, twice shy... Lately, I must have built up a lot of anger inside as I keep frequently seeing people, videos, and photos hanging or drawing the Taegeukgi upside down. However, it is my fault for not looking closely at the drawing, and since making a mistake naturally calls for an apology, please scold me for not being cautious."

HEECHUL conveyed, "Starting with myself, I hope the Taegeukgi will not be distorted into other meanings or misunderstandings in the future." At the end of his post, he also added the sentence, "And I am truly Korean.. I was born in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province.."

Previously, Incheon City posted a commemoration banner on the 6th at a crosswalk near the rear gate of City Hall to mark the 81st Liberation Day. The banner included the phrase "The 81st Liberation Day, the day light was reclaimed" along with an image of an independence activist waving the Taegeukgi with both hands.

However, criticisms continued online pointing out that the Taegeukgi pattern and the positions of the four trigrams on the banner were flipped vertically. HEECHUL joined the controversy by leaving a comment on the post saying "You've lost your mind" along with a Taegeukgi emoji. Fellow group member SIWON also responded with a Taegeukgi emoji.

As the controversy grew, Incheon City explained, "The Taegeukgi was not drawn incorrectly; rather, it was expressed in a perspective looking up from below at an independence activist waving the Taegeukgi." The city clarified that the basic shape of the Taegeukgi itself, including the positions of the four trigrams, was normal. However, judging that it could cause misunderstandings, the banner was removed on the 8th. An Incheon City official stated, "We were not meticulous enough about the parts that appeared in two dimensions. We will look into things more closely moving forward to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings."

Meanwhile, HEECHUL has repeatedly stated his stance regarding his comment being interpreted politically. He stated, "Many people are expressing political concerns regarding the Taegeukgi talk, but isn't it our country's national flag regardless of left or right?" and as the controversy persisted, he repeatedly emphasized, "It has nothing to do with left or right. Something even a kindergarten student knows is neither something to be praised nor something to be cursed at, and it's just absurd to make a fuss over the position of the Taegeukgi that even foreign fans all know."

HEECHUL stepped down from the JTBC program "Knowing Bros" last May due to health issues, and on the 13th of last month, he released the SUPER JUNIOR-83z mini 1st album "Promise to You" with LEETEUK and continues his activities.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)