South Korean actor Park Seo Joon recently found himself at the center of a controversy following a seemingly innocent incident at a special screening of his upcoming movie, Concrete Utopia. It tells the story of survivors in an apartment complex after a devastating Seoul earthquake.
Concrete Utopia | Official Main Trailer | INTL
At the event, a fan presented couple of hairbands to Park Seo Joon and his co-star, Park Bo Young, who play a married couple in the movie. Park Bo Young graciously accepted and wore the hairband, but Park Seo Joon declined the offer, gesturing toward his hair. This left Park Bo Young holding onto both hairbands, which didn’t go unnoticed by the audience.
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— BBO… (@vamjanimlover) August 6, 2023
The incident quickly gained traction online, with netizens saying Park Seo Joon was inconsiderate of Park Bo Young. A section of the online community felt the backlash was exaggerated. Meanwhile, the fan who offered them the hairbands came forward to share their perspective. In a statement, the fan said they were unbothered by the actor’s decision and hoped the incident would no longer be blown out of proportion.
Park Seo Joon responds
In response to the growing controversy, Park Seo Joon took to his official fan café on August 7th to address the situation. In a heartfelt post, he expressed concern that some fans might have felt hurt by the incident.
He clarified that his refusal to wear the offered headband wasn’t due to vanity or the presence of hairspray. Instead, he had styled his hair in a way that made it unmovable, explaining, “I sweat a lot during stage greetings. I sprayed a lot of hairspray in the morning and fixed my hair so firmly that it wouldn’t move even if I tried. In that state, if I put anything in my hair, it hurt my scalp a lot.“
@gumihoi Park Seo Joon addresses his attitude controversy parkseojoon kdrama
Furthermore, Park Seo Joon addressed the perception that he had embarrassed Park Bo Young by leaving her holding both headbands. He shared his belief that the headband was a gift specifically for Park Bo Young. “I think there was a misunderstanding,” he stated.
The actor also revealed a conversation with Park Bo Young, where she apparently expressed regret over the incident. But he reassured her, emphasizing the importance of focusing on their remaining schedules together.
Beyond the headband incident
Beyond the headband incident, Park Seo Joon also touched upon other controversies surrounding his interactions with fans. He addressed an instance where a fan hugged him without consent and his reluctance to make a face heart gesture.
Park Seo Joon also thanked his fans, saying, “Because of you, I’m not afraid of anything.” He ended his message with words of love and care, urging fans to look after themselves.
What happened to Seo Joon serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges celebrities face in the public eye. Every action, no matter how small, is scrutinized. But communication, understanding, and empathy can bridge the gap between celebrities and their fans.-K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: The actor has been busy promoting his new movie. Source: Twitter/@allaboutPSJ.