Lawyer-turned-cast member says he will respond 'at an appropriate time' after online criticism

A scene from "I Am Solo." [ENA]
A scene from "I Am Solo." [ENA]

The controversy surrounding the "girls' talk" gossip scene from Season 31 of SBS Plus and ENA's "I Am Solo" shows no sign of dying down, even after the season has wrapped.

Im Won-gyun, a lawyer at Dowon Law Firm who appeared on the show as Sangcheol, signaled Thursday that he would address the backlash publicly. Responding to a comment on his social media from a user urging him not to dismiss a victim's distress, he wrote: "Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will respond at an appropriate time."

The controversy began Monday, when a cast reaction video posted to the YouTube channel "촌장엔터테인먼트TV" showed Sangcheol commenting on a scene in which Okssun, Yeonghui and Jeonghui — the so-called "girls' talk" trio — gossiped about fellow cast member Sunja. Rather than criticizing the trio, Sangcheol questioned Sunja's behavior, saying, "Why is she just sitting there listening to them?"

When the scene showed an upset Sunja retreating to her room and sitting beside the door, Sangcheol continued to scrutinize her actions, asking, "Why is she sitting there?" and adding, "She left the door open" — implying Sunja could hear the gossip on purpose. He also defended Okssun, saying, "She wasn't taking sides — she was just saying that Gyeongsu didn't like either of them," referring to Sunja and Yeongsuk. Okssun agreed, saying, "That's right. Gyeongsu oppa's behavior was ambiguous."

The remarks drew a wave of criticism directed at both Sangcheol and Okssun, with many viewers accusing them of inflicting "secondary harm" on Sunja.

On Monday, one user left a comment on Sangcheol's blog saying: "I think you were speaking as a lawyer, from the perspective that 'it's rare for one side to be 100% at fault' and 'a third party can't know the full truth.' But I think the reason so many people feel uncomfortable with this controversy is that it goes beyond questions of fact."

The user continued: "If someone has openly said they felt excluded and hurt within a group, what they need first is not a balanced assessment but empathy for their pain." The user added that immediately saying "both sides have problems" or "the atmosphere wasn't that bad" — regardless of intent — can come across as minimizing or doubting the victim's experience.

"Legal neutrality may be important, but in matters of emotional hurt in relationships, neutrality can sometimes feel like indifference to the person who was wounded," the user wrote. "That's why many viewers seem to have taken your remarks not as simple neutrality, but as an attitude that dismisses the victim's distress. I hope you reflect on what you said and think deeply about how you conduct yourself going forward."

Season 31 of "I Am Solo" drew widespread criticism for scenes in which Okssun, Yeongsuk and Jeonghui appeared to ostracize Sunja through words and actions. Viewers described the scenes as a real-life version of the Netflix drama "The Glory," said they were uncomfortable to watch, and reported that the footage triggered feelings of trauma.

Despite the backlash, Sangcheol took a stance of studied neutrality in an interview posted to the same YouTube channel. "Even in my work as a lawyer, it's rare for one party to be 100% at fault — though of course the degree of responsibility differs," he said. He also argued that "it is effectively impossible for a third party to know past events with 100% accuracy," because "after an incident occurs, only limited first-person perspectives remain."

Sangcheol and Okssun had a prior connection on the show: he had expressed interest in her early in the season, only to be turned down. The Season 31 cast gathered at Sangcheol's home to watch the finale broadcast together, and it was at that gathering that Sunja shared the discomfort she experienced during filming. Sangcheol also photographed the after-party that followed the finale viewing and the live broadcast on "촌장엔터테인먼트TV," reinforcing his apparent role as the center of the Season 31 social circle.


jshan@heraldcorp.com