The controversy surrounding Woni, a member of the girl group Risen from Geoje, over her use of the Gyeongsang dialect expression "musubno" has escalated to the political arena. Online, criticism and satire have been directed at the broadcasting PD who initially raised the issue.
On July 5, various online communities and social media platforms were flooded with posts mocking the so-called "musubno" controversy.
Netizens reacted with comments such as, "Is Apink's 'Don't be sad, no no no' also Ilbe?", "If they hear 'Wagurano' from Kang San-e, they might faint", "Is Curtis, who shouts 'Red Red', also far-right?", and "If I say 'I like you', am I a racist?" Others added, "Chef Yoon Nam-no must be an Ilbe member every time he says his name".
Some users expressed frustration, stating, "There are too many people uncomfortable with strange things", "All controversies are created by a loud minority with distorted beliefs", and "Isn't this just a theory that everything is connected to Ilbe?" They further criticized, saying, "They seem to love Ilbe the most".
The controversy soon caught the attention of politicians.
Former Justice Party leader Cho Kuk stated on Facebook on July 5, "There are people who defend the use of 'no' at the end of sentences as a way to mock President Roh Moo-hyun, claiming it is used in Busan and Yeongnam as well". He explained, "In my observation, Ilbe users mechanically attach 'no' to standard language. In Yeongnam dialect, 'na' and 'no' are used distinctly. 'Na' is used to confirm yes or no, while 'no' is used to request specific explanations".
In response, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, also shared his views on social media the same day.
Lee stated, "They are trying to verify ideologies based on a single word. An idol from Geoje is branded as Ilbe simply for saying 'musubno' in her hometown dialect". He emphasized that linguists explain that the '-no' ending in the southeastern dialect is widely used in exclamatory and soliloquy contexts, yet the labeling continues.
The controversy began when a PD from Gyeongnam MBC, known to be from Busan, posted on social media on July 1, criticizing Woni's use of the '~no' expression in broadcasts and YouTube content.
He wrote, "I was very upset to see a female idol and a PD exchanging '~no' in a well-received YouTube clip".
As the post spread, online backlash ensued, with comments like, "What’s the problem with someone from Geoje using their hometown dialect?", and "Are they trying to censor dialects now?".
As the controversy grew, a professor from Dong-A University’s National Language Institute was also revisited for his explanation that the '-no' ending in the southeastern dialect is used not only in questions but also in exclamations and soliloquies, suggesting that Woni's expression falls within the dialect category.
However, the PD maintained his stance in a lengthy follow-up post, stating, "Many speakers and researchers of Gyeongsang dialect have pointed out that the current use of '~no' is not grammatically correct". He added, "As hate speech becomes a game, the Gyeongsang dialect itself is becoming contaminated".
He also argued, "I am also from Gyeongsang, but if there are people who are hurt, we should reconsider the use of '~no'".
Despite these claims, public opinion did not wane, prompting the PD to release an additional statement on July 3.
He acknowledged, "I have confirmed again that social media is not a suitable space for discussion" and noted, "Just as it took a long time to eliminate remnants of the Japanese language, this issue will also require time".
He reiterated, "Rather than distinguishing which '~no' is being used, if there are people who are hurt by the word, I ask that you reconsider its use".
However, even after this clarification, public sentiment remained largely unchanged.
Netizens continued to respond, stating, "It’s more bizarre to tell people who use dialects to change them", "It’s excessive to treat an idol from Gyeongsang as Ilbe", "We’ve reached a point where we judge political leanings based on a single word", and "Isn’t the one who escalated the controversy ultimately himself?".
* This article has been translated by AI.
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