"Personal feelings should not represent everyone's stance"
Apologized and deleted video amid ongoing controversy
Travel YouTuber GwakTube (Gwak Junbin), who has confessed to being a victim of school violence, sparked controversy by featuring Lee Naeun, a former member of the group April accused of bullying fellow members, on his YouTube channel. Lee Naeun is suspected of bullying team member Lee Hyunju, and GwakTube, who has previously spoken out about his own experiences as a victim of school violence, was heavily criticized for prematurely defending her. In response, he deleted the video and posted an apology.
On the 16th, GwakTube uploaded a video titled "The Happy Journey of Junbin Returns," showing time spent with Lee Naeun in Rome, Italy. GwakTube said to Lee Naeun, "I used to get very sensitive whenever school violence was mentioned. I even blocked you right away, but then I saw articles saying it wasn’t true," adding, "As a victim, I have shared many stories, but I felt like I was causing harm to someone who was actually misunderstood."
Lee Naeun responded, "Now that some time has passed, I thought I wouldn’t be upset anymore. It was a bit hurtful that many people misunderstood and blocked me. So, I was very sad."
Viewers who watched the video expressed strong resentment toward GwakTube for defending Lee Naeun, whose bullying allegations have not been resolved, despite his own claims of being a victim of school violence.
Lee Naeun was accused of leading the bullying of fellow April member Lee Hyunju during their time in the group. In February 2021, Lee Hyunju’s younger sibling revealed related details on an online community, claiming that Lee Hyunju suffered from panic disorder and even attempted extreme measures. Subsequently, a friend of Lee Hyunju came forward with additional allegations, causing the controversy to spread rapidly. April members and their then-agency DSP Media filed a lawsuit against Lee Hyunju for defamation and other charges, but Lee Hyunju was cleared of all charges. After a two-year hiatus from activities, Lee Hyunju transitioned to acting.
As criticism intensified, GwakTube deleted the video and apologized, stating, "There were parts of this video that I did not think through deeply and overlooked. I will reflect deeply to ensure that my personal feelings do not become everyone’s stance," and added, "I will pay more attention to content creation going forward. I apologize for any discomfort caused while watching the video."
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