K-Pop Idol’s Controversial “One Letter” Comment Sparks Fierce Debate

Fans are divided on his response.

An idol member has garnered much attention for his response to fans on Weverse.

| @nctwishofficial/X

On August 18, an online community platform discussed NCT WISH’s Yushi‘s responses to fans. His comments received various mixed reactions.

There was already talk about him, except for certain members who didn’t come often to Weverse. But this was the response fans got from him on Weverse after he didn’t appear for 27 days.

— OP

Looking at his responses, they seemed rather short.

| Weverse

“Fan: Yushi, please come often. This is your job too, isn’t it.

Yushi: ㅋ”

| Weverse

Thanks for posting a lot of comments ㅋ

— Yushi

Fans were divided in his response using just one “ㅋ” which is used when laughing (similar to “lol”). Some felt that his lack of interaction with fans was more of a problem than his way or responding to comments.

원래 w 한 개 쓰는 애라는 쉴드가 더 웃김 그게 중요하냐? 애초에 자주 와달라는 글에 왜 웃는데 https://t.co/9qWCmOwH54

— 형 (@1ossom1y) August 18, 2024

It’s even more hilarious that they are trying to protect him by saying that he is someone who usually uses ‘w.’ The post is about asking him to come more often; why is he laughing about it?

| Nate Pann

• “Did they have to use that comment for clout? It’s ridiculous that he used just one ‘ㅋ.’ What was he thinking? Trying to start something?”
• “It’s more surprising that it’s been 28 days since his last visit on Weverse. He must hate his fans.”
• “He’s probably f*cked. Can’t even protect him from it.”
• “Who cares about how many times he used ‘ㅋ’? The fan is asking him to come more often. Whether it’s ㅋㅋㅋㅋ or wwww or lol, isn’t it wrong of him to use that? Why is everyone trying to protect him from this.”

Other fans stepped up and stated that this was his usually way of talking and that using just one “ㅋ” is a cultural difference.

ㅋ=w 또는 긍정의 의미로 알겠다고 할때 자주쓰는데 오히려 w 남발하면 비웃는 느낌을 줘요
저도 리액션 한다고 여러개 사용했다가 현지 친구한테 내 말이 가볍냐는 이야기 듣고 대화 할때 많이 안 씀.
유우시는 알겠다는 의미로 하나 쓴 거.
그리고 예전부터 많이 사용했는데 이번에 왜 ㅈㄹ? https://t.co/xzvI2ciOb7 pic.twitter.com/0uxNPNsS4l

— 청향 (@sibalidafuck) August 18, 2024

ㅋ=w and is usually a positive way of saying you understand. Using too many w’s can come off as scoffing. I once used too much when talking to a Japanese friend, and they asked if I was taking what they said lightly. I think Yushi is using it as a way of saying he understands. And he’s always used it like that. Why are people upset about it now?

한국에서 외국인멤으로 살기 힘드네 ㅅㅂ
이런 의미라고 알겠다는 거라고 https://t.co/xzvI2ciOb7 pic.twitter.com/Li1OwyZt9a

— 청향 (@sibalidafuck) August 18, 2024

It must be hard living as a foreign member in Korea, for f*cks sake. He’s using it to say he gets it.

https://t.co/5cT83GgsmK pic.twitter.com/axYPJ0iNfN

— 카레 (@holololol12345) August 18, 2024

Let me set things straight. First off, using just one ㅋ in Korea can seem like scoffing or belittling, but in Japan, ㅋ=w (warau (笑う), which means “to laugh”). Although Yushi has lived in Korea for seven years, we can’t confirm that he knows all this. So I asked a native, and they said that using one ‘w’ is not scoffing but rather natural when laughing. There is no negative meaning. So that’s why he responds with just one ‘w.’ And if you look at his other response, you can see that’s just how he usually writes.

ㅋ=w 이거 오케이 의미로도 쓴대
자주 와달라는 휀걸말에 오키도키 의미로 쓴거임
이거때매 ㅋ 들어간 다른 댓글도 다 지웠음 https://t.co/FhJhkGvAgm pic.twitter.com/ATHOtUMlxU

— 쪼바 (@soo_ragohe) August 18, 2024

ㅋ=w this can sometimes be used as a way of saying ok. He could be saying ok to the comments asking him to come on Weverse often.

With the controversy getting bigger, it was later revealed that fans reported Yushi’s comment and had it deleted from the app.

The comment wasn’t deleted. It was deleted after fans reported it on the app.

— OP

What are your thoughts on this?

NCT