[Video] Foreigner Taps on the Statue of a Girl... Repeatedly Apologizes in a Day, Saying "I Didn't Know the Meaning"

Posted Apology Video in Awkward Korean
"Learned the Meaning Through an Acquaintance"

Foreign men who posted apology videos through the video-sharing social networking service (SNS) 'TikTok' / Photo by TikTok video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Two foreign men who posted a video on social networking services (SNS) playing around by hitting the head of the Girl Statue in Daegu faced fierce criticism from netizens and apologized just one day later. They repeatedly bowed their heads toward the statue in broken Korean, saying "Sorry."

On the 20th, a video of two foreign men apologizing to the Girl Statue was uploaded on the mobile video-sharing SNS 'TikTok.'

In the video, one man bows his head stiffly in front of the camera, then turns his body and repeatedly bows to the Girl Statue. He apologizes in broken Korean, saying, "I learned the meaning of the Girl Statue through an acquaintance," and "We were wrong last night. Sorry."

The man's apology continues. He bows his head three times consecutively toward the Girl Statue and also performs the hands-pressed-together gesture, which is used as a sign of apology in some Asian cultures.

They previously sparked controversy by posting a video on the 19th that appeared to mock the statue of a girl erected in Daegu 2·28 Memorial Park. / Photo by TikTok video capture

The Girl Statue to which the man bowed his head is installed at the 2·28 Memorial Park on Gongpyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu. It was erected in 2017 by the 'Daegu Peace Girl Statue Construction Citizens' Promotion Committee,' which raised funds from about 2,200 citizens.

The man, along with his companion, had posted a video on TikTok on the 19th mocking the Daegu Girl Statue by hitting its head. In the video, one man sits next to the statue making a V sign with his fingers, while the other man laughs as he strokes or lightly taps the statue's head.

The video spread across domestic online communities, sparking controversy. Domestic netizens criticized them, saying, "They are insulting the Girl Statue that commemorates the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery," and eventually, the men apologized one day after posting the video.

Meanwhile, netizens' reactions to the video were mixed. Some said, "Since they are foreigners, they might not have known Korean history," and "It might be good to place explanatory signs about the meaning in front of the Girl Statue," showing some willingness to accept the apology.

On the other hand, other netizens continued to criticize, saying, "They posted the apology video on TikTok, so it doesn't feel sincere," and "If they had proper awareness, they wouldn't treat a public sculpture like that."