A video capturing a reporter making rude remarks towards members of the group RESCENE during their departure has sparked criticism.
On August 12, the video, filmed at Incheon International Airport as the members prepared to leave for KCON LA, began circulating on social media and online communities.
The footage includes a voice of a reporter asking the members, "Could you take a look here?" Amid the surrounding noise, the members did not hear the request clearly. When Woni briefly glanced at the reporter, he responded with, "Are you ignoring me?" followed by, "What are you staring at?" A woman present at the scene immediately defended the members, stating, "They weren't staring."
The video has spread across platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), with netizens reacting with comments such as, "How long has it been since the controversy over Son Heung-min's military service for such remarks?" and "Seems like he thinks he’s someone important," and "His voice wasn’t even loud enough to warrant saying 'Are you ignoring me?'"
Recently, there have been ongoing controversies regarding the rude comments and excessive behavior of some reporters at coverage events.
In June, a video from a public training session of the South Korean national football team in Mexico ahead of the 2026 North American World Cup included inappropriate background noise. The footage contained derogatory remarks about military service directed at players, including Son Heung-min. Following the backlash, JTBC re-uploaded an edited version with the problematic audio muted, explaining that the sound was from an unspecified group of people at the open training.
This incident has raised questions about whether basic manners between reporters and celebrities are being upheld, beyond just a verbal misstep.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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