ENHYPEN’s Ni-Ki issues an apology for remarks on March 1st Independence Movement Day.
On March 1, Ni-Ki posted on Weverse expressing regret: “Hello. This is Ni-Ki. I apologize for carelessly commenting on such an important national holiday as March 1st. I’ve realized my mistake and have promptly deleted the post. I will be more careful in the future.”
The controversy arose when Ni-Ki responded casually to a fan mentioning the holiday. A fan shared having a day off on March 1, to which Ni-Ki replied, “Is tomorrow a holiday? I’m envious, we don’t have holidays or weekends (off).”
March 1st Independence Movement Day is a significant national holiday in Korea, commemorating the 1919 Declaration of Independence against Japanese rule during the occupation.
Ni-Ki faced criticism from Korean netizens who felt his remarks were insensitive. They emphasized his role as a K-pop artist in Korea, expecting him to be more aware of Korean history and culture.
Responses to Ni-Ki’s apology varied among netizens. Some criticized the brevity of his apology, commenting, “Wow, just three lines?” and “Can’t believe he just wrote three sentences.” Others suggested he educate himself on Korean history more deeply.