82MAJOR's Hwang Sung Bin issues an apology over past activities

On June 13, 82MAJOR member Hwang Sung Bin issued an apology for his past activities, which included songs with controversial lyrics, on his Soundcloud account.

The idol wrote, "Hello, this is Hwang Sung Bin of 82MAJOR. First of all, I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort and disappointment to many people regarding my past personal account."

Controversy

Earlier, Korean netizens discovered Hwang Sung Bin's past ISoundCloud account, which had clicked "Like" on controversial songs, including "Republic of Korea is Dead (prod. JACK MARLOW)," which heavily criticized the South Korean government during Moon Jae In's administration.

Some of the lyrics to the track showed antagonism towards the democratic party, and blamed the government for the COVID-19 pandemic that spread in Korea. It sang:

"The country I was born and raised in — South Korea.
A population of 50 million infected by a virus.
We seem lost, unsure of who to blame — but you know, right? The stupid government.
They say history repeats itself, but we flare up easily and never take responsibility.
What about you? Have you ever thought about whether they ever keep the promises they make?
At some point, character became just another spec.
Money and numbers go one way, people’s hearts the other.
He killed the country, but my mom is still a huge fan of him.
I’m in a coma, trying to become rich.

I fell for it when I was young — my eyes fooled me.
The photoshopped image of the president looked so kind.
By the time I started to understand why, I was 26.
I can never understand the hypocrisy of leftists who love to mock.

While stores were closing with a cough,
armchair judges in their rooms blamed Daegu — ridiculous.
The same hands that held candles now turn against their own people,
and he fights endlessly with his past self from just a few years ago.

Sewol Ferry was tragic, yes,
but the bodies dragged to the North are burned and forgotten —
even if they're called from underwater,
a single headline saying 'defection to the North' ends it all.

Is this even a country? Feels like one we’ve never experienced before.
Are you an idiot too?
If you're going to defend this bastard, stay away from me."

Hwang Sung Bin explained, "Back when I was just starting to get into music as a student, I came across a song by an artist and, out of simple curiosity, I liked their posts whenever new music was uploaded. However, it was clearly my shortcoming that I acted without fully understanding the message and meaning contained in that music. Looking back, it was extremely careless of me."

He continued, "Also, during a concert, I performed a rap that was intended to showcase a unique side of a fellow member. However, I failed to consider the weight of the words used, and in doing so, I made people uncomfortable."

Hwang Sung Bin's apology

Hwang Sung Bin expressed his regret and wrote, "To the fans who have supported me and to everyone who cares about our team, I offer my sincerest apologies for the disappointment I have caused. As a singer, I feel deeply ashamed, and I now realize how much responsibility comes with every word and action." 

The 82MAJOR member once again apologized, "I will take this incident as a serious lesson, reflect deeply, and strive to always act and speak with caution. Once again, I sincerely bow my head and apologize to everyone who was hurt by this. I am truly sorry."

Korean netizens' reaction

Despite the idol's apology, Korean netizens are heavily criticizing Hwang Sung Bin, with many stating that his taste in music reflects his values and principles. These netizens are criticizing that a person's core values and ideology can't be changed, and expressing discomfort. They commented:

"How do you apologize for an ideology?"

"So it was all true, huh? LOL, crazy."

"Why do all apology letters sound the same…"

"He clearly knew what he was doing. What do you mean he didn’t? LOL"

"Do you think an apology is enough for this?"

"Does he actually feel sorry, though?"

"That song was clearly not one you’d like without knowing what it’s about. Even the handwriting is telling."

"You need to rewrite it: 'I liked a song mocking the president and mocked a member who ran a marathon on Liberation Day. I apologize'.”

"If you were really interested, wouldn’t you read the lyrics more carefully…? Why’d he do that…tsk."

"Why are you apologizing for your own beliefs? LOL. If we don’t align, I’m just filtering you out. Why do all these apologies have the same ugly handwriting?"

"At the very least, if it’s a reflection letter, you should try to write neatly."

"Get out."

"So you're basically admitting you’ve been living without thinking, what a proud moment, huh?"

"Honestly, I have nothing left to say at this point."

"I listened to that rapper’s old albums too… but even just looking at the album art, you'd know not to mindlessly hit like, right? LOL"

SEE ALSO: SM Entertainment becomes the 2nd largest shareholder in Great M Entertainment, home to 82MAJOR