Soloist Hyolyn, formerly of the second-generation girl group SISTAR, recently faced backlash for using a racial slur while singing along to Doja Cat‘s “Say So.”

The incident occurred when she went on vacation with a friend. Like many people, Hyolyn posted several videos to her Instagram Stories to record her trip for posterity. One video, in which she filmed herself dancing and singing to “Say So,” sparked outrage among netizens. The song itself is quite popular, but people took offense when Hyolyn sang along to a line that included a racial slur.

Realizing her mistake, Hyolyn promptly deleted the video in question, although she left the rest of her vacation footage online. However, since the internet is forever, someone had already recorded the video and shared it elsewhere, where it quickly went viral. This prompted many users to leave angry comments on Hyolyn‘s Instagram posts, demanding an apology for her actions.

Hyolyn apologized on social media

The day after the incident, Hyolyn addressed the situation on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). She wrote, “Yesterday, while singing along to a song that was playing in the background, I carelessly uttered a charged word with significant cultural and historical implications. I am deeply regretful and heartbroken to have hurt so many of you by my ignorance. I am sincerely sorry.”

Hyolyn further expressed her commitment to learning and growing from this experience. “Please know that I love you all very much, and I thank you for keeping me accountable for my actions. I hope you will be there in my journey to educate myself more on cultures beyond my own, to grow not only as an artist but as a person. Thank you again for all your love and support.”

This apology comes at a time when Hyolyn has been actively releasing new material. She recently reunited with fellow SISTAR member Bora to release music as SISTAR19 for the first time in 11 years. Their comeback track, “No More (Ma Boy),” along with a B-side titled “Saucy,” was well-received by fans. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Hyolyn messed up in a big way. The backlash was intense and swift. Source: X/@Jhyoniecorn.