[Kang Il-hong's Today Entertainment] Sim Soo-bong's junior singer's 'sniper remarks controversy' sparks criticism

Lim Young Woong, Chart Success, Music Show Wins, and YouTube Domination... A Special 10th Anniversary RecordTuesday, September 22, Sim Soo-bong / Lim Young Woong / Tzuyang / RESCENE ZENA / BTS[THE FACT|Reporter Kang Il-hong] Respect isn't automatically earned just because of age, seniority, or great achievements. True respect from others stems not from age or experience, but from how we treat others first.Recently, something in the music industry has made us reconsider this very point.A controversy arose on the 20th when veteran singer Sim Soo-bong, performing at the '2026 Jinan Plateau Trot Festival' in Jinan, Jeonbuk, publicly criticized the junior singer Kim Da-hyun, who performed before her.Sim Soo-bong stated on stage about the preceding singer, "It seems she doesn't know what a song is, or what life is," and "It's very difficult to listen to her songs." She also added that singing requires life experience and hardship, and that it's not something to be done carelessly.Of course, a senior artist can offer musical advice to a junior. Music evaluation is also free. However, whether it was appropriate to publicly disparage a specific junior's skills and life experiences on a public festival stage is a separate issue.Furthermore, the other party is a young singer just beginning to build her musical career. Kim Da-hyun reportedly left the venue immediately after her performance and was on her way to her next location, so she was not present when Sim Soo-bong made her remarks. She later encountered the statement through an online video and was reportedly so shocked that she burst into tears.What's even more regrettable is that Kim Da-hyun has always admired Sim Soo-bong. Yet, Sim Soo-bong used expressions like "young lady," "girl," and "player," completely disregarding her as a singer and not even acknowledging her name.One can only imagine how deeply hurt she must have felt to hear such words publicly from a senior artist she admired. Of course, Sim Soo-bong later apologized officially, admitting her remarks were a slip of the tongue.She expressed regret, stating she said things she shouldn't have in a stressful situation, and conveyed her apologies to Kim Da-hyun and her family. Kim Da-hyun also spoke with her directly, received an apology and comfort, and reassured her fans not to worry.However, the important point here is not just whether an apology was made. This incident calls for a reflection on the long-standing senior-junior culture in our entertainment industry.In the past, there was an era when seniors publicly scolding or shaming juniors was accepted as a form of 'teaching.' But now it's 2026. Times have changed, and the way people are respected has also changed.Being a senior does not grant the right to treat a junior carelessly. The actions of a veteran singer who has been active on stage for over half a century are a self-contradiction that no one can understand. This is because she should know better than anyone how much her words can affect a junior and what message they convey to countless audience members and viewers.Moreover, this event was not just a stage for a specific artist but a regional festival created by the people of Jinan County. The protagonists of the festival are not just the singers. The audience members who came to the venue, the local residents, and the organizers who prepared the event are all protagonists.If the public criticism of a fellow singer occurred on such a stage, it inevitably goes beyond a personal emotional issue and affects the purpose and dignity of the event.This incident should not end with attacking one specific artist. The important thing is that such a thing is never repeated. If you want to teach a junior, you can do so with warm advice, not public humiliation. If you think their skills are lacking, you can suggest a better direction.Isn't that the role of a true senior? Age deserves respect. Career deserves respect. Achievements also deserve respect. However, age and career are not licenses to hurt others.A truly respected senior is not someone who asserts their authority, but someone who lifts up their juniors with their experience.Through this incident, I hope the senior-junior culture in our entertainment industry matures further. Competing with songs on stage and respecting each other as people – isn't that the senior-junior culture we need now?Stadium → Album → Music Show No. 1 → TMA 2 Wins... 10th Anniversary Record Streak. The photo shows singer Lim Young Woong on stage at the TMA held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonje-gu, Busan on the afternoon of the 19th, giving her acceptance speech after receiving the 'Popularity Award'. /Busan Asiad Main Stadium=Reporter Park Heon-wooStadium → Album → Music Show No. 1 → TMA 2 Wins... 10th Anniversary Record StreakSinger Lim Young Woong recently garnered significant attention by performing on stage at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. At this awards ceremony, Lim Young Woong won two awards: the 'TMA Popularity Award' and the 'Special Jury Award.'Following her stadium concert, the release of a special album, and music award ceremonies, she has been on a whirlwind schedule. Most notably, the response to her special album has been extraordinary.Since the release of the special digital album 'IM HERO 10,' the included tracks have successively made their presence felt on charts and YouTube. Following her stadium concert, album release, music show win, and two awards at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS,' let's take another look at Lim Young Woong's 10th-anniversary journey.From September 4th to 6th, Lim Young Woong held 'IM HERO - THE STADIUM 2' at the Goyang Stadium Main Stadium. Approximately 95,000 spectators attended the three-day concert, setting a record of approximately 1 million cumulative concertgoers since 2022.Most importantly, she first unveiled new songs from her 10th-anniversary special album on this stage, raising anticipation for the album's release. And on September 8th, the 10th-anniversary special digital album 'IM HERO 10' was officially released.The album contains 10 songs in total, including six new tracks like the title song 'Tto Tto,' 'Moise,' 'Baila,' 'Please Be Happy,' 'The Lives We've Lived,' and 'New York,' along with four newly arranged songs. Notably, Lim Young Woong participated in writing and composing the new songs, adding her musical color.The response was immediate upon the album's release. The title song 'Tto Tto' and 'Moise' ranked high on Melon HOT100, and currently, on the Melon chart, songs from 'IM HERO 10,' including 'Tto Tto,' 'Please Be Happy,' and 'Moise,' are positioned in the top ranks.The record-breaking streak continued on YouTube. 'The Lives We've Lived' and 'Moise' successively surpassed 1 million views, and 'New York' also exceeded 1 million views as of September 21st. The fact that multiple songs from the album are receiving attention, not just one hit song, confirms the interest in 'IM HERO 10.'The results were overwhelming on music shows as well. On the MBC 'Show! Music Core' broadcast on the 19th, Lim Young Woong's 'Tto Tto' ranked first with a total score of 7485 points. Notably, Lim Young Woong proved her strong presence by taking the top spot without a direct appearance on the broadcast that day.On the same day, the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' was held in Busan. Lim Young Woong won two awards, the 'TMA Popularity Award' and the 'Special Jury Award.' In particular, the TMA Popularity Award is determined 100% by pre-voting from fans, and Lim Young Woong added another trophy with the support directly sent by her fans.After meeting approximately 95,000 fans at a stadium concert, releasing her 10th-anniversary album 'IM HERO 10,' continuing her record-breaking streak on music charts and YouTube, and winning two awards at a global music awards ceremony following a music show win, Lim Young Woong's 10th debut anniversary is being filled with various records amidst an exceptionally busy schedule.After 10 years, Lim Young Woong stands at a new starting line. Fans are keenly watching to see what new records she will add in the future.YouTube Mukbang Regulation Tightened... "I Will Eat Moderately From Now On" Signals ChangeThe sight of a slender woman consuming an enormous amount of food in one sitting can sometimes be astonishing. Mukbangs have captivated viewers by presenting large quantities of food at once, showcasing how much can be eaten.However, the established format of YouTube mukbang is changing. With YouTube recently implementing stricter policies on content related to binge eating and eating disorders, changes are expected in how mukbang creators produce their content.YouTube is addressing content that promotes or glorifies eating disorders, and particularly behaviors that viewers might imitate. In its advertising policies, it explicitly lists content that could be reminiscent of or encourage imitation of eating disorders—such as binge eating, excessive hoarding/hiding of food, extreme calorie restriction, and misuse of vomiting or laxatives—as subject to advertising revenue restrictions.However, not all mukbangs are subject to regulation. YouTube acknowledges exceptions for content that discusses education, documentaries, or recovery experiences without promoting eating disorders. This means that simply eating a lot of food does not automatically lead to deletion or a halt in monetization.Indeed, changes have recently appeared in South Korea. 'Salppaejo,' a mukbang YouTuber with approximately 440,000 subscribers, announced that monetization on his channel had been suspended. 'Miso,' a diet YouTuber, also reported deleting hundreds of past videos after receiving a guideline violation notice.What about Tzuyang, a leading mukbang YouTuber in South Korea? On the 21st, during a mukbang at Sinpo International Market in Incheon, Tzuyang stated, "Eating a lot doesn't seem to be the trend these days," and "I will become a YouTuber who eats moderately from now on." However, in the actual video from that day, she presented a mukbang not significantly different from her usual style, featuring dishes like seasoned fried chicken, tteokbokki, fried foods, hot bars, and buckwheat noodles.Therefore, rather than predicting an immediate disappearance of Tzuyang's mukbangs, it's worth noting the possibility of a shift towards emphasizing the taste and stories of the food itself, as well as contextual elements like travel and market exploration, rather than focusing solely on 'how much is eaten.'Ultimately, the new competitiveness in the YouTube mukbang market may move from 'eating more' to 'showing eating in a more fun and healthy way.'"Even Jang Yun Jeong Fell for It" on the 'Oh My!') Stage... The Secret to Trot Medley Success"Yongdusan Elegy" by Go Bong-san, "Ppang Ppang" by Park Sang-chul, "How Old Am I?" by Oh Seung-geun, "PARK JI HYUN's 'Melting Away'," and Jang Yun Jeong's "Oh My!" and "Chohon."Even the same song can garner different levels of interest depending on who sings it.A trot medley sung by a girl group member is approaching 7 million views just four days after its release.The artist is ZENA, the youngest member of RESCENE.A trot performance presented for Chuseok is receiving an explosive online response. What exactly is Jena's charm?The video, titled 'Chuseok Special, ZENA's Trot Medley,' was released on the YouTube channel of RESCENE member WONI on the 18th.In the video, Jena greets viewers with a warm Gyeongsang dialect for Chuseok before immediately launching into her trot performance.The first song was Go Bong-san's "Yongdusan Elegy."She then consecutively performed six songs: Park Sang-chul's "Ppang Ppang," Oh Seung-geun's "How Old Am I?", PARK JI HYUN's "Melting Away," and Jang Yun Jeong's "Oh My!" and "Chohon."What particularly caught the eye was her robust singing style, hard to believe for a young idol, and the characteristic "kkeokgi" (a vocal technique in trot music).However, this was not just a one-time event aimed at Chuseok.According to the members of RESCENE, Jena is known to enjoy listening to trot music regularly. In fact, she has such a passion for the genre that she even plays trot music before falling asleep.And there was someone who reacted to Jena's singing.It was trot singer Jang Yun Jeong.Jang Yun Jeong posted a video of Jena singing her hit song "Oh My!" on social media with the message, "Thank you, friend Jena."So, who is ZENA within RESCENE?ZENA was born in 2008 and is the youngest member and vocalist of RESCENE. RESCENE is a five-member girl group that debuted in March 2024, consisting of WONI&LIV&Minami&MAY&ZENA.In particular, due to her origin from Gyeongju, Jena is also known by the nickname 'Silla Princess.' Her natural dialect and quirky yet friendly demeanor shown in YouTube content with other group members have also left a strong impression on fans.Ultimately, the reason for the success of Jena's trot medley is not simply because she sings well.It's a synergy of her rustic trot singing style, rarely seen in idol performances, her natural talent stemming from her personal preferences, and Jena's unique friendly and unpretentious character.Jena, who has suddenly become a spotlighted 'trot rising star' from being the youngest member of a K-pop girl group,There is much interest in whether this medley will serve as a signal for RESCENE ZENA's further musical possibilities.BTS, BTS will perform 14 times in 5 South American cities, starting with Bogota, Colombia on October 2nd, followed by Lima, Peru, Santiago, Chile, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. /Big Hit Music"Representing 21st Century Pop" BTS Arrives... South America Buzzes, 150,000 ExpectedThe group representing 21st-century global pop, BTS, BTS, is set to ignite South America following their North American tour.Starting on October 2nd in Bogota, Colombia, they will perform 14 concerts across five South American cities: Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.The reaction from local cities to BTS's South American arrival is already extraordinary. Bogota, Colombia, where the first concert will be held, introduced BTS through its official tourism channel as "a group representing 21st-century global pop, based on music, performances, and their bond with ARMY worldwide."In La Plata, Argentina, an even more special movement has emerged. With over 150,000 attendees expected for the October concerts, the city and provincial government have joined forces to manage the event. The La Plata City Council has designated BTS as 'Honorary Guests,' the highest official honor the city can bestow.In Lima, Peru, a K-pop cultural event was held to commemorate BTS's tour, and the Chilean tourism authorities are officially promoting the Santiago concert as a major cultural and tourism event. Notably, this tour marks BTS's first visit as a full group to Colombia, Peru, and Argentina, further heightening the anticipation of local fans.Beyond mere concerts, the entire cities are buzzing with a festive atmosphere for BTS's South American tour. Attention is focused on whether this will evolve into a global phenomenon that stimulates tourism, culture, and the local economy, extending beyond the concert venues.The arrival of BTS in South America has now begun its countdown.eel@tf.co.kr