Lee Young Ji, renowned for her connections with prominent idols in K-Pop, has notably built a close friendship with SEVENTEEN's DK.

Their collaboration on SEVENTEEN BSS's track "Fighting" and DK's appearances on Young Ji's show, My Alcohol Diary, showcased their camaraderie.

Young Ji Sparks Controversy: Accusations of Mocking SEVENTEEN's DK Surface Over Instagram Exchange

Despite their seemingly strong bond, Young Ji faced criticism after sharing a New Year's message from DK on Instagram.

In response to his heartfelt wishes, she replied with a concise "Ah, sunbaenim."

This led to accusations of her mocking their friendship, especially as fans believed DK's messages were already lacking privacy due to his status as a top idol.

Previous Instances of Mentioning DK's Messages

Fans pointed out that Young Ji had previously discussed feeling pressured when DK sent lengthy messages.

On her show, she revealed the challenges of responding to DK's detailed texts, expressing a sense of obligation to match the length.

NETIZENS REACTIONS:

i just hate that seventeen already do not have a lot of privacy (idols in general) and even if we don’t know youngji/dk’s friendship personally, it feels too invasive to see his personal messages every damn time

im so mad when ppl mocking him just bcs he sent a long ass paragraph to praise or compliment someone. it's his fucking love language. can't u say thankyou and move on instead of mocking him at something that he genuinely expressed his love to? y'all deadass annoying asfuck.

the way dokyeom is very much supportive of youngji and is looking forward to being genuinely close to her as a friend and sunbae, yet she shows dk's long messages on her show without permission and even have the audacity to make jokes abt them

DK later apologized, unaware of the discomfort he had caused.

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Young Ji's Apology Amid Backlash: Gratitude, Clarifications, and Pledges for Caution Unveiled

Amid the social media backlash, Young Ji issued an English apology on January 2.

She expressed gratitude for DK's caring messages, clarified that she had his permission to share the message, and vowed to be more cautious in the future.

NETIZENS COMMENTS

Youngji you don't have to apologize

You dont hv to apologize tbh

Your tweet means no harm from my perspective. Fighting girls! You got this!

Aah girl... don't apologize. Please, your interaction with him is sooo cuteeee

While some defended her, asserting an overanalysis of her post, others emphasized their intention to raise awareness about the image she portrayed of DK.

K-Pop's Friendship Dilemma: Idols Face Scrutiny in Social Media Era

In the aftermath of this controversy, it becomes evident that even close friendships in the K-Pop industry can face scrutiny, especially when played out on social media platforms.

The delicate balance between maintaining personal connections and public perception is a challenge many idols grapple with in the era of instant communication and heightened fan involvement.

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Written by Cassidy Jones.