K-Pop Fans Defend EXO’s Suho After Joke About “Lazy Idols” Goes Sour

Here’s what actually happened.

An innocent joke made by EXO‘s Suho during his fan meeting was met with backlash online, but fans were quick to come to his defense.

EXO’s Suho | @kimjuncotton/Instagram

Recently, Suho held an all-expenses-paid fansign to Jeju Island for his solo mini-album, GREY SUIT. Majority of fansigns take place in Seoul for the convenience of the K-Pop idols. This time, however, the company made sure that everything from return flight tickets, drinks, freebies, and a signed album was provided.

The controversy arose after an audio file from the event spread online.

Suho was talking to fans about a 9-line acrostic poem he came up with for “We Are One EXO Let’s Love” that was written on the photocards.

Suho’s photocards for GREY SUIT | SM Entertainment
Suho’s photocards for GREY SUIT | SM Entertainment

He was surprised to learn that it was an original idea others have yet to do.

I love that I’m able to make good memories for my fans. To be honest, I didn’t think this event is that big of a deal. I actually thought it was a pretty common event. Doesn’t everyone do this…? The acrostic poem on the photo cards, too. I really thought someone would have tried that already.

— Suho

| @kimjuncotton/Instagram

He joked that idols were “getting kind of lazy” because they didn’t come up with the idea first. Afterwards, he lightheartedly blamed the entertainment companies for ignoring small details.

You know? I think… idols these days are getting kind of lazy. (Laughs) Or maybe it’s because of the agencies. Since management agencies are big companies now, we have so many idols in the industry. I feel like the lack of attention to detail might come from that. That’s too bad, huh? (Laughs)

— Suho

Several netizens took offense at Suho’s words, calling him out for saying that idols are lazy. A Korean news site also covered the comment and headlined it, “Suho Says Idols These Days Are Lazy.”

| @kimjuncotton/Instagram

However, thousands of comments pointed out that he was only kidding and that he didn’t actually mean what he said.

Others clarified that he wasn’t insulting the agencies for not hosting extravagant fan meetings like his but that he was poking fun at how no one else had written an acrostic poem.

| theqoo

Majority appear to agree that the hate comments directed at Suho were undeserved and blown out of proportion.

| @kimjuncotton/Instagram
Source: theqoo

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