Controversy is rapidly spreading in China over remarks made by IVE member Jang Wonyoung.
The issue began after a video titled 'MAMA 2025 Behind' was uploaded to IVE’s official YouTube channel. The footage shows the members visiting Hong Kong to attend the awards ceremony. During the video, Jang Wonyoung says, “We should eat a good dinner,” before adding, “I like Hong Kong. There is a lot of good food. Hong Kong is one of my favorite countries.”
Following the video’s release, Chinese netizens strongly criticized her use of the word “country” in reference to Hong Kong. China officially defines Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region and upholds the One China principle as a core element of its political and diplomatic stance.
On Chinese social media platform Weibo, backlash quickly intensified. Comments included statements such as “Hong Kong is Chinese territory, not a country” and “An entertainer’s ignorant remark has infringed on national sovereignty.” Hashtags including #JangWonyoungHongKongCountry, #IVEGetOutofChina, and #KoreanIdolsHistoryEducation spread rapidly, with some users calling for a boycott of IVE related content.
Local media outlets also joined the criticism. Sina Weibo described the comment as “a clear challenge to China’s territorial sovereignty and integrity.” Global Times stated that Korean idols recognize the importance of the Chinese market but lack understanding of political sensitivities. The outlet further accused them of maintaining a double standard by profiting from Chinese fans while failing to respect China’s sovereignty.
As the controversy continues to escalate online, attention remains on how the situation will be addressed by the artist and her agency.
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