Controversy Over BJ Cheolgu's Child's Private Elementary School Admission
Parents Flood with "Oppose Admission" Protests
Expert Says "Parents' Fault Should Not Be Projected Onto Child"
BJ Cheolgu is shaving his head during an Afreeca broadcast on the 8th. Photo by AfreecaTV broadcast screen capture.
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Recently, news spread that the daughter of internet broadcasters BJ Cheolgu (31, real name Lee Ye-jun) and BJ Oeji-hye (25, real name Jeon Ji-hye) is enrolling in a private elementary school, sparking backlash from parents. Concerns have been raised that the child of a figure who has faced criticism for past incidents such as mocking disabled people and disrespecting the deceased could negatively influence her peers at the school.
Some argue that the parents' issues should not be projected onto the child when making judgments. Experts also pointed out that it is inappropriate to criticize the child because of the parents' mistakes.
Recently, it was reported that Cheolgu and Oeji-hye’s daughter would be entering a private elementary school in Incheon. In response to a flood of complaints from parents at private elementary schools in Incheon, some schools issued notices stating, "The child of YouTuber OO has not enrolled in our school."
One particular school, through its official SNS, stated, "It is not true that the BJ’s daughter is enrolling," and requested, "Please refrain from commenting to prevent students and parents unrelated to this matter from being harmed by excessive speculation."
This commotion is linked to Cheolgu’s past behavior. In 2012, Cheolgu was suspended from broadcasting on Afreeca TV for a year after performing an act that seemed to imitate sex offender Kim Gil-tae. He also faced public backlash for producing inappropriate content that belittled disabled people.
More recently, during a broadcast, he made remarks that appeared to mock the late comedian Park Ji-sun’s appearance, causing controversy. When viewers complained about the inappropriate comments, Cheolgu changed his explanation, saying he meant to refer to Park Mi-sun. The controversy intensified after Park Mi-sun publicly expressed her displeasure.
A statement issued by a private elementary school in Incheon, where BJ Cheolgu's child is reported to be enrolled. Photo by Homepage capture.
As the controversy over Cheolgu’s child’s enrollment grew, the elementary school issued a statement on the 9th, saying, "Our school accepts applications from anyone, selects new students through a public lottery, and cannot arbitrarily choose or reject applicants. Providing equal educational opportunities to everyone is the school’s philosophy and the principle of elementary education," adding, "The school principal, as the administrator, will take responsibility for any issues that arise thereafter." This effectively means the school has allowed Cheolgu’s daughter to enroll.
However, voices of concern remain high on online communities such as mom cafes. Many parents feel uncomfortable with their children attending the same school as the child of a controversial figure.
A parent whose child is about to enroll in the school shared on a local mom cafe, "I was in shock when I was contacted by other parents sending their kids to the same school. At first, I thought, what wrong has the child done? No matter how flawed the parents are, isn’t the child different?" but added, "After searching online, everyone seems to be disgusted."
They continued, "What a sudden disaster. I don’t watch that broadcast and don’t want to, but their daughter appeared on it, and it was really a spectacle," and said, "Someone I know said the enrollment should be canceled. It’s a very bleak situation."
A parent expresses concerns about the admission of Cheolgu and Oejilhye's daughter. Photo by Online Community Capture.
In response to such reactions, some argue that it is wrong to blame children for their parents’ mistakes. They support Cheolgu’s child’s enrollment, saying the child should not be discriminated against regardless of the parents’ reputation.
One netizen wrote on an Incheon mom cafe, "The enrollment was fairly decided by lottery, and if the child is seven years old and lives in Incheon, anyone should have the freedom to enroll," adding, "If problems arise after enrollment, then measures can be taken. Children should have equal educational opportunities."
Writer Heo Ji-woong also commented on the controversy, saying, "If everyone’s parents’ sins are inherited and judged, there will be no hope or possibility in such a community."
He posted on his Instagram, "Our community does not judge families based on the parents’ sins. This is a principle," and said, "You cannot exclude children from the group just because you dislike their parents."
He added, "Of course, not blaming them doesn’t mean removing all associated stigma," and pointed out, "The BJ himself needs to change his attitude and values first."
A parent expressed support for Cheolgu's daughter's admission, stating that it is not right to hold children accountable for their parents' mistakes. Photo by Mamcafe screen capture.
Experts also pointed out that even if parents have faults, projecting those onto the child is inappropriate. Professor Kwak Geum-ju of Seoul National University’s Department of Psychology analyzed, "YouTube and Afreeca TV are competitive markets. Therefore, people look for something unique or bizarre. However, excessive competitiveness in this process can lead to a lack of ethics and morality."
She continued, "That said, it is not right for children to receive critical views because of their parents’ mistakes," emphasizing, "Children who have done nothing wrong should not be criticized; rather, the parents who committed wrongdoings should be criticized and must reflect on their actions."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
