Debut group IDID’s member Kim Minjae has become embroiled in controversy after online users claimed recent posts contained symbols and phrases widely used to mock former South Korean President Roh Moo‑hyun, associated with the far‑right forum Ilbe Storehouse . His agency, Starship Entertainment, has formally denied all allegations, stating there was no political or offensive intent whatsoever.
The issue began earlier this week when Kim shared a daily life vlog on the platform Setlog. The clip was uploaded upside‑down, with reversed captions including “19:00” and “Stage End.” On fan community Berriz, he also wrote, “Iya!! – feeling great.” Critics quickly argued the upside‑down format, number “7” within the timestamp, and the word Iya were all well‑known coded expressions used to belittle the late leader.
As criticism grew, Starship released an official statement addressing every point. “Kim was still unfamiliar with this style of filming and accidentally shot the video reversed,” the company explained. “We noticed it later, but decided to keep it unedited because it felt natural and authentic. All text was simply mirrored to match the visual style, and 19:00 is exactly when his stage finished no hidden meaning.”
Regarding Iya, they clarified: “It is a normal, everyday exclamation. Neither Kim nor our team knew it carried a different connotation in certain online spaces.”
The agency apologized for failing to review content thoroughly enough, saying, “We sincerely regret causing misunderstanding and discomfort. From now on, every video, caption and post will go through stricter checks before release to prevent similar issues.”
Kim also expressed regret for the unintended uproar, promising to be more careful in future communications. While online debate continues, Starship maintains the content was innocent and the accusations unfounded.
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