After Minji apologized for her behavior and "Kalguksu" controversy which aimed to wrap the issue up, the fire was fueled when netizens and fans lashed out at a Korean news outlet for allegedly "mocking" Minji.

Here's what happened.

NewJeans Minji Allegedly 'Ridiculed' by MBC, Bunnies Blast Korean News Outlet for Controversial Caption

On January 21, social media platform X (Twitter) became engulfed with angered Bunnies, who called out MBC for one of its captions regarding Minji.

According to the posts online, the news outlet uploaded an article reporting Minji's appearance at the Incheon International Airport, where she departed from to attend the ongoing Paris fashion week. The outlet laid out in both its headline and caption, "NewJeans Minji, Sharp International Beauty."

While the now-deleted caption was supposed to be seen as normal and harmless by international fans, Korean netizens saw the other way around, since the headline contained an acrostic poem that allegedly recalled Minji's "Kalguksu" issue.

An acrostic poem is a type of poetry, which begins when the first letters of a "main" word are each continued by a new word or phrase. The acrostic poem is often seen in variety shows or casual broadcasts, where celebrities engage in with for entertainment purposes.

In the headline's Korean version, it contained the first parings of Kal, Guk, and Su, triggering heated reactions from Bunnies.

International fans expressed their wrath over MBC for the back-handed caption, while also demanding an apology from both the news outlet and writer Go Dae Hyun. This eventually led them to trend "#GoDaeHyunApologizetoMinji" and "MBC APOLOGIZE TO MINJI."

Here's how they reacted:

Meanwhile, K-Bunnies also gathered in a forum to vent out their fury towards MBC. Read their comments below:

• "MBC, you should stop bullying Minji. Apologize to her now."
• "How distasteful. Why would someone write like this?"
• "Why would you bully a 19-year-old over some noodles?"

Earlier on January 15, Minji apologized on Phoning for her noodle controversy. The idol threaded through her January 2 livestream that ignited numerous online forums that criticized her attitude, grammar, and tone.

The idol has been a hot topic for not knowing "Kalguksu," one of Korea's staple dishes, and was even accused of "faking" a classy image. Minji also revealed how she used her time self-reflecting to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Regarding the reactions to her apology, the singer's message drew public outrage in the K-pop community. The majority was frustrated over the issue's absurd context and how the idol was lambasted to the point of having her explain herself in a lengthy message.

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IN OTHER NEWS: NewJeans Minji Apologizes to Bunnies for 'Kalguksu' Controversy - Here's What She Said 

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Written by Riely Miller