Idols are still humans at the end of the day, and with that being said, no one is immune from mistakes. Whether as a way of joking or unintentional, "problematic" remarks aren't uncommon in the K-pop industry. Sometimes, these comments would even come from our favorites.

While fans are mostly engaged with their idols to enjoy the music and content, societal norms have developed over time, which can make certain types of jokes unfunny. This can also lead fans to call out their favorite artists for the "problematic" instances.

Here are 4 K-pop idols who were called out by their own fandom for problematic behavior this 2023

1. SHINee Taemin & Key

In September 2023, Shawols (SHINee's fandom) called out members Taemin and Key for making a colorist joke towards member Minho. During one of their "SHINee.ing" episodes, fans were more than happy to see the three members bicker with one another.

However, during their funny exchanges, Taemin and Key joined forces to call out Minho for having tanned skin because of his outdoor schedules.

"Hyung, when I see you after you play golf, all I can really see are the whites of your eyes and teeth."

"Why did you get so tanned? If Minho will close his eyes and mouth at night, it's going to be like, 'Minho...' (pretends being unable to see Minho)."

Fans then called out the two idols for their behavior:

2. THE BOYZ Hyunjae

Hyunjae also caught everyone's bad side when on September 27, the idol trended across online communities for his behavior towards bandmate Jacob. According to the clips from their broadcast, Hyunjae was shown to be insisting Jacob to eat shrimp despite knowing him being allergic to the food. Through a conversation, Hyunjae continuously pushed Jacob to try it for once to see if he was really allergic. Thankfully, Jacob didn't try the shrimp, as it would impose a serious threat on his health, which many netizens deem as life-threatening.

•  "Is he crazy? Someone can die from a strong allergic reaction."
•  "That Hyunjae is seriously problematic. He's been on Pann numerous times because of how he treats his bandmates."
•  "This guy again? I bet the fans are tired of him now."

3. WayV Xiaojun

Xiaojun is the latest idol to be called out by his own fandom. On November 7, WayV posted their reaction video for MV "On My Youth." Things were good until the MV showed a scene of Kun lying on the floor and eventually, Xiaojun's comment which many claimed as fat shaming.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you know any other instances where fandoms called out their faves? Let us know in the comments below!

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Written by Riely Miller