The controversy surrounding the use of the expression 'Musupno' by Woni, a member of the group Lissenne, continues as Jo Soo-jin, a director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, stated that it is indeed an 'Ilbe-style expression.' This has sparked renewed debate online.
On July 7, a video titled 'Ilbe-style expression? Gyeongsang dialect? The Ilbe debate sparked by 'Musupno' (featuring Park Joo-min and Jo Soo-jin)' was posted on the YouTube channel 'Jang Yoon-sun's Reporting Convenience Store.'
During the broadcast, Jo Soo-jin, a lawyer and director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, discussed the issue with Democratic Party lawmaker Park Joo-min.
Host Jang Yoon-sun asked Jo about the expression, noting that 'Musupno' is a Gyeongsang dialect and that the singer is also from Gyeongsang. She inquired about the ongoing debate over whether it is an 'Ilbe-style expression.'
Jo responded, 'I believe it is an Ilbe-style expression. I am also from Gyeongsang, and I have seen many other expressions from the singer, but my judgment remains unchanged.' She added, 'This is not just an individual issue; it is a structural problem,' asserting that Ilbe-style expressions have become widespread among youth.
She continued, 'While it may be problematic to excessively hold individuals accountable or target them, we have reached a point where we cannot ignore these issues.' Jo referenced past incidents, such as the influx of Ilbe users at the memorial service for President Roh Moo-hyun and the cases involving Baejae High School and Starbucks, stating that a culture that was once underground is now becoming more visible. 'The current situation is a result of not addressing these issues properly in the past,' she argued.
Jo emphasized, 'It is now time to fundamentally change our perception and to socially inform people about how horrific the origins of these expressions are.'
Following the release of the video, various opinions regarding Jo's comments emerged on online communities.
One user pointed out, 'Is the proud spirit of Roh Moo-hyun about nitpicking the dialect of a young friend?' Another user remarked, 'The logic is no different from saying we should change the design of the Taegeukgi just because the Taegeukgi Brigade uses it.'
Other reactions included, 'It seems like people think they will die if they apologize,' 'Isn't this essentially denying the dialect itself?' 'A person from Gyeongsang used their hometown dialect, and to label it as an Ilbe expression is excessive,' 'Didn’t former President Roh naturally use Gyeongsang dialect during his life?' and 'Are all Gyeongsang people being treated as Ilbe members?'
This controversy began when Woni, a member of Lissenne from Geoje, used the expression 'Musupno' in a YouTube content, prompting a Gyeongnam MBC PD from Busan to publicly raise the issue. Subsequently, past explanations from the Korean Language Culture Institute at Dong-A University were revisited, arguing that '-no' is a sentence-ending particle used in Gyeongsang dialect for both questions and exclamations. The debate has since expanded into the political arena, with former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok expressing opposing views on social media.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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