Lee Su-ji's team apologizes for mocking re-election protesters

The team behind comedian Lee Su-ji has apologized over claims that she mocked protesters calling for a re-election.

The production team of Lee's YouTube channel "Hot Issue Ji" posted an apology Wednesday through a pinned comment on a video titled "Civil Servant Kim Ji-young's Fight to Keep Her Iron Rice Bowl [Human Documentary: Real Extreme Jobs]."

"We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable or disappointed by the video," the team said, adding that the scene in question "was not used with the intent to convey a position on any specific issue or political stance."

The team called it "a lapse in judgment on the part of the production team for using the scene without giving sufficient consideration to a socially sensitive matter." It stressed that the controversy "has nothing to do with the personal political views or intentions of the cast — it was a problem that arose because the production team failed to review the content carefully during the editing process."

The team also said it was "deeply sorry for causing unnecessary misunderstanding and burden to the cast as a result."

"We are taking this matter seriously and will produce content with a greater sense of responsibility going forward," the team added.

The video at the center of the controversy was uploaded Tuesday. In it, Lee plays a rookie civil servant named Kim Ji-young who is harassed by difficult complainants. In a scene where Lee's expression darkens as she is overwhelmed by the complainants, audio of protesters chanting "re-election" was inserted, sparking debate over the intent behind the edit.

Some online users who support calls for a re-election following the June 3 local elections argued the scene mocked protesters who had gathered at Olympic Park, saying it treated "a legitimate rally like troublemaking complainants." Others who oppose the re-election demand pushed back, saying, "What's the problem in a democratic country? It's freedom of expression." The dispute quickly split along political lines.

After the backlash, Lee's team re-uploaded a revised version of the video with the scene removed.

paq@heraldcorp.com