Photo: CFP

 

South Korean singer Lee Hyori has been under the spotlight for making what many say an inappropriate joke about China during a local TV show on Sunday. Her remarks prompted criticism in China as netizens accused her of disrespecting late Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong. 

When asked about what Chinese stage name she would choose during a local TV show, Lee Hyori, who has been dubbed a national “fairy” in South Korea, joked about taking the Chinese surname “Mao,” Phoenix News reported on Monday. 

The “Mao” word in South Korea, some netizens explained, refers specifically to the Chinese late leader, and that is why they found Lee’s remarks offensive.

Nearly 300,000 messages flooded Lee’s Instagram and Sina Weibo accounts as of Monday, many accusing her of disrespecting the late Chinese leader, asking her to quit the Chinese market. 

However, some fan groups in China continued to back her by reposting Chairman Mao’s remarks, calling on netizens to forgive Lee’s misdeeds. The supporters were only met with criticisms that said they had abandoned their principles for the sake of pleasing their idols. “There is no room for forgiveness when it comes to insulting my country,” former fans of Lee commented. 

Chinese netizens have adapted some of Chairman Mao’s poems to fire back at Lee on her Instagram. 

The program’s production team released a statement on Sunday in response to Lee’s controversial comments. “To avoid further misunderstandings, we [the production team] will cut the controversial parts from the show, and watch out for sensitive issues in the future,” the statement reads, explaining that they had no intention of insulting China. 

Lee Hyori has been winning over Chinese audiences over the past two decades since her first appearance as a member of the South Korean girl group Fin.K.L in 1998. She shot to fame in 2003 when she released her debut solo album, which won several "Artist of the Year" awards. In 2006, Lee was the highest-paid female singer in South Korea.

Global Times