Lim Young Woong Gets Brutally Trolled After Latest Post

Soloist Lim Young Woong recently ended his social media absence after months, but netizens are seemingly not excited about his return.

Lim Young Woong | Mulgogi Music

Lim, who is one of the most beloved trot singers in Korea, enjoys domestic popularity at par with top K-Pop idols. But a significant part of his reputation was damaged in a recent controversy. In December 2024, when then-South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to impose martial law, many celebrities spoke out against the move. But when a fan reached out to Lim Young Woong, urging him to use his platform in a meaningful way in that moment of national crisis, he responded with disinterest.

| @yuspring_/X

Sender: Not the right time to be doing that.

Lim Young Woong: Doing what?

Sender: The whole nation is coming together to impeach a president who declared martial law against the constitution. I don’t even expect you to add a voice, but [posting on Instagram] was careless.

Sender: Aren’t your fans mainly older Koreans who have already experienced martial law before?

Lim Young Woong: Am I a politician, though?

Lim Young Woong: Why would I voice anything?

The screenshot went viral quickly, bringing Lim unprecedented condemnation from the public. Later, he responded to the criticism, re-emphasizing that he wanted to remain neutral, sparking further backlash.

Lim Young Woong Finally Addresses His DM At First Concert Since Scandal

Since then, the soloist has laid low, staying away from social media, until recently. On March 5, KST, Lim updated his Instagram with a collection of pictures from his everyday life.

Though fans on Instagram welcomed him warmly, in online communities, netizens mocked the singer, bringing up his infamous “doing what?” response. When some fans tried defending him, others shut them down, arguing that if he could respond with “what?” to martial law, they could also do the same for his social media activities.

| theqoo

• “Doing what?”
• “Doing what?”
• “Now I can’t think of anything else aside from ‘doing what?'”
• “It’s not that I just dislike him, but I dislike the lightheartedness of his response ‘what?’ during the martial law. What’s the problem with wanting to add ‘what?’ Why not just let it slide like Lim Young Woong?”