[Kang Il-hong's Today's Entertainment] Who is the Angry Star of 2026?... An Image Shattered in an Instant

Actor Lee Yo-won's 'Informal Speech Controversy' Re-ignites Gong Hyung-jin&Shim Soo-bong[Wednesday, November 11, Cha Eun-woo/ Lee Yo-won/ BTS/ Haru/ RESCENE[THE FACT| Reporter Kang Il-hong] 2026 has been a year of great ups and downs in the entertainment industry. Stars who were once beloved by the public have been embroiled in various controversies, suffering significant damage to their image. Which figures were at the center of controversy this year? Let's take a look back and summarize the main players.First is singer and actor Cha Eun-woo. The controversy over a 20 billion won tax evasion charge that surfaced early this year shook the entertainment industry. The key issues were income distribution through a corporation established by his mother and whether he was actually operating the business. Cha Eun-woo's side paid the taxes, but they have filed an appeal with the Tax Tribunal seeking a legal judgment on the tax assessment.YouTuber Park Wi also faced daily criticism for a single wrong action. The controversy escalated when he released CCTV footage of the incident after a wheelchair fall accident on a KTX train. Criticism poured in regarding the privacy of the social worker who helped him and the way the video was released, leading him to eventually delete the video and apologize.Ahead of Liberation Day, actress Ha Young was caught in a controversy over her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese collaborationist activities. Her great-grandfather's past actions were re-examined, and her remarks about her family history also became controversial. Ha Young issued an apology and her career was affected, including her withdrawal from an upcoming project.Chef Lim Sung-geun also caused a major stir. Although he gained popularity with 'Black and White Chef 2,' the controversy began when he voluntarily revealed his past drunk driving record. Further records were subsequently revealed, leading him to announce a complete suspension of his broadcasting activities.There were many other controversial figures. Baek Jong-won resumed his YouTube activities after facing a backlash over various business-related controversies surrounding Theborn Korea, and Jeon Hyun-moo was criticized for inappropriate remarks about fallen police officers and allegations of broadcast manipulation.Actor Hwang Jung-min was involved in a legal battle over a stalking incident and privacy issues, while entertainment agency CEO Cha Ga-won was arrested and indicted on charges of fraud amounting to 30 billion won and is currently on trial.As such, 2026 was a year that demanded heavy responsibility and morality, commensurate with fame. It was a year that once again showed how difficult it is to gain public affection, yet how easy it is to lose trust through a single controversy.The title track 'SWIM' from BTS's 5th full-length album 'Arirang' has been selected as Apple Music's 'Best Song of 2026.' This marks the first time a Korean group has achieved this. /Big Hit MusicBTS is truly demonstrating its global presence. Its influence is growing, with its music being featured on the world's top playlists and entire cities being transformed into BTS stages.Let's first look at the musical achievements. The title track 'SWIM' from BTS's 5th full-length album 'Arirang' has been selected as Apple Music's 'Best Song of 2026.' This is a first for a Korean group.Apple Music described BTS's comeback as a long-awaited moment for K-pop and a return that redefined the K-pop landscape in 2026. Their success on Billboard continues. 'Arirang' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has remained on the charts for an impressive 33 consecutive weeks, demonstrating its long-term popularity.Meanwhile, Singapore will transform into a BTS city for the entire month of December. The 'BTS The City Arirang' project, in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board, will take place from December 1st to 31st.The Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi, the world's largest indoor waterfall, will be decorated with a BTS theme, and a drone show with 1,500 drones will light up the night sky over Sentosa Beach. Fifteen landmarks around Marina Bay will also be illuminated in red, and with running events, media facades, and fireworks, the city will become a festival ground themed around BTS.In addition, the world tour concert held at the Singapore National Stadium will have four performances. BTS, which is changing not only music charts but also cityscapes and tourism content, is a global phenomenon. The world is listening to BTS, the world is experiencing BTS. Attention is focused on how far their global journey will extend.Singer Haru (far left in photo) will appear as a special guest on SBS's entertainment program 'My Little Old Boy,' airing on the 15th. This broadcast will be a special occasion to commemorate the musical careers of Nam Jin and Sul Woon Do, who have led an era in the Korean music industry. /'My Little Old Boy'Singers Nam Jin and Sul Woon Do are considered living legends of Korean trot music. Now, a new singer, Haru, will join them for a special event commemorating the combined 100th anniversary of their debut.Singer Haru will appear as a special guest on SBS's entertainment program 'My Little Old Boy,' airing on the 15th. This broadcast will be a special occasion to commemorate the musical careers of Nam Jin and Sul Woon Do, who have led an era in the Korean music industry.However, there is a point that deserves attention here. It is the fact that the rookie singer Haru has been invited as a special guest to this meaningful celebration. This goes beyond simply appearing on an entertainment program.The meeting of two legends who have written the history of the music industry and a singer with the potential to represent the new generation is, in itself, a symbolic scene that shows Haru's presence and changed status. On this day, Haru will join Heo Kyung-hwan and Im Won-hee in preparing a celebratory meal and will also participate in a unique '100th Birthday Doljabi' for the two legends.Haru, whose vocal talent and musical capabilities were recognized through his runner-up finish in MBN's 'Rookie Legend,' is now expanding his activities beyond Korea to the global stage. He is scheduled to record overseas music in Taiwan in December and is also accelerating his overseas expansion by pursuing a contract with a Japanese global record label.The history created by legends and the future to be opened by new stars. Singer Haru, who will be present at Nam Jin and Sul Woon Do's special 100th-anniversary celebration, is now expanding his presence beyond a rising star to become a name that will lead the next generation of the music industry. The reason why the meeting of Haru standing beside the legends is even more anticipated.They are a rookie girl group that is currently receiving a lot of attention. Right after winning first place on a music show, the girl group RESCENE became embroiled in an unexpected live performance controversy. What happened to the members of this girl group, which had been steadily rising?On the SBS Life program 'The Show' aired on the 10th, RESCENE proudly took home the first-place trophy with their title track 'With.' The encore stage that followed amidst the cheers of fans, however, became the center of controversy instead of congratulations and applause.Unlike the main stage of a music show, the encore stage, where the AR audio is relatively quieter, tends to reveal the members' actual vocal abilities more clearly. This time, criticisms poured in that some members showed unstable pitch and breathing.Of course, there were members who showed stable vocal performances. However, as the disappointing live performances of a few members were highlighted, criticism and support opinions clashed fiercely online.While some argued, 'As popularity increases, live practice should also increase,' and 'If you're a singer, you should do your main job properly,' others voiced concerns about excessive criticism, saying, 'There are definitely members who are good,' and 'We need to consider the difficulty of the song.'So, what should be focused on here? It is the fact that popularity makes the verification of skills more stringent. Cheers and applause for artists on stage are certainly a great honor. However, as that popularity grows, so must the sense of responsibility and preparation for the stage.While flashy performances and outstanding visuals are important, the essence of a singer is ultimately their voice. In particular, the encore stage is a stage where one must be able to prove their skills even in unexpected moments.Being popular does not automatically fill in lacking fundamental skills. We hope that this controversy becomes an opportunity for growth for RESCENE, rather than just a scar. What is more valuable than a first-place trophy is receiving applause from fans with improved skills on the next stage.The words and actions of well-known celebrities in public are always subject to scrutiny. A single word or action can sometimes become a yardstick for evaluating a person's character and attitude. This is especially true for celebrities who stand before the public. A tone intended to be friendly can be perceived as rude by someone.Following Gong Hyung-jin, who made juniors uncomfortable with his informal speech, actress Lee Yo-won is now facing controversy over her disrespectful informal speech towards a senior. The controversy arose when a video of Lee Yo-won meeting senior actress Kim Young-ran was released.The two had a connection from the 2000 drama 'Kkeopji' and were reuniting after a gap of 26 years. When Kim Young-ran recognized Lee Yo-won and greeted her warmly, Lee Yo-won responded in a casual tone, saying, "Right, right, right," and "I did, I did."Of course, this could be a natural reaction stemming from the joy of meeting after a long time. Indeed, they had a past connection from working together on a project. However, given that they were conversing in a public place with a senior who is 24 years her elder, it has been pointed out that she should have used more polite language.On the other hand, there is a counterargument that the tone, which came from a friendly atmosphere, is being overly scrutinized. However, there is a case to reconsider here. It is the attitude of actor Gong Hyung-jin towards his junior, Cha Ji-yeon.Gong Hyung-jin demanded that Cha Ji-yeon greet him again at a formal event and continued to speak to her informally and critically, saying things like, "Why are you acting?" Criticism poured in, questioning how he could demand respect as a senior while treating his junior in such a manner.In addition, we need to consider the controversy surrounding singer Shim Soo-bong's remarks targeting Kim Da-hyun. This is a case that shows how sensitive the issue of how to treat someone with a generational and career difference, and what expressions to use in public, can be.Ultimately, what matters is not whether someone is older or younger, or a senior or junior. Seniors should not treat juniors carelessly by flaunting their authority simply because they are seniors, and juniors should not omit courtesy simply because they are friendly.Friendliness and rudeness are clearly different. Especially, the tone used in public can be perceived differently from private interactions. What celebrities need is not unconditional politeness, but an attitude of respect for the other person. Isn't this a principle that should apply equally to seniors and juniors?eel@tf.co.kr