Controversy continues to swirl around former BIGBANG member Choi Seung-hyun (최승현), 38, known as T.O.P, following recent rumors of his relationship with Im Jin-ah (임진아), 35, a former member of After School, known as Nana. The news led to the cancellation of a fan-organized commemorative exhibition due to lower-than-expected reservations and a wave of cancellations. Furthermore, "CHOIDOT," a personal fan site that had supported T.O.P for 20 years, announced its unexpected closure on October 9. The management team released a lengthy statement, directly criticizing T.O.P and his agency, stating that "albums are not gifts bestowed upon fans" and accusing them of consistently neglecting fans' long-standing dedication.
After approximately three weeks of silence, T.O.P finally released a personal apology on November 1, addressing the hurt fans and the fan site management team, while also expressing gratitude for their unwavering support over the years. However, this belated apology failed to quell the anger, instead sparking another wave of discussion on Korean online forums, with many netizens sympathizing with the 20-year fans and stating that the apology came too late.
In his statement, T.O.P expressed deep gratitude for the 20 years of support from the fan site "CHOIDOT," which announced its closure. He stated, "Even when it was difficult for me to believe in myself, you still believed in me, giving me the strength to create music again with your warm hearts and precious support. I will never forget the sincere hearts of my fans for the rest of my life."
He also emotionally conveyed that it was thanks to the profound support from his fans that he was able to come this far, and that the fan site management team had selflessly contributed for many years, becoming an important pillar for him. He hoped that the time, effort, and sincerity invested by the management team over the years would not be tarnished by external misunderstandings and speculations, and that the precious years they shared would not end with only misunderstandings or hurt.
Finally, T.O.P once again apologized to his fans, stating that he deeply understood that their concern and love were not to be taken for granted. He promised to forever cherish this gratitude and extended his most sincere apologies to the management team and fans who were hurt by misunderstandings.
The fan site "CHOIDOT," established on August 24, 2006, had supported T.O.P for nearly 20 years before officially announcing its closure on October 9 this year. At the time, the management team cited T.O.P and his agency's failure to properly handle responsibilities and their disregard for fan sentiments as reasons for the shutdown.
Among the grievances, the management team was most upset that an exhibition, specially organized to commemorate T.O.P's first solo studio album, had to be canceled due to lower-than-expected ticket sales, with related costs exceeding what the management team could personally afford. However, the management team expressed dissatisfaction that the agency not only failed to communicate properly but also shifted responsibility to the fan site management team, leaving them deeply disheartened and ultimately leading to the decision to end nearly 20 years of operation.
Now that T.O.P has finally issued a personal apology, Korean netizens seem unimpressed, leaving comments expressing sympathy for the long-time fans: "This post sounds exactly like something a scumbag trying to win back an ex-girlfriend would write," "When you feel it's too late, it really is too late," "What have you been doing for the past few weeks? Suddenly posting something like this now, lol," "You don't cherish people when they're around, but then say a lot after the bus has left, what's the point?" and "It's truly amazing how he drove away fans who were willing to stay and support him even after the controversy broke out."
Others questioned, "Don't you know that such vague and perfunctory apologies only provoke greater anger? Using fans' sincerity for their unpaid labor is truly unacceptable," "Waiting until fans say they're leaving to post something like this makes it seem more like you're treating fans as fools," "These words should have been said when the relationship was exposed and fans were being attacked," and "After 20 years, suddenly realizing gratitude now is far too late, isn't it?"
T.O.P's belated apology has not only failed to immediately calm the controversy but has also reignited discussions on Korean online forums about his relationship with his fans. Whether this uproar will affect his future entertainment activities and if he can win back the hearts of his long-time fans remains to be seen.
Below are translations of Korean netizens' comments
1. ? Isn't the apology too late...? For fans of this caliber, there should be a private way to contact them, so what's with this vague tone of "I earnestly hope my sincerity is conveyed"?
2. It feels like an apology without substance, no convincing sincere explanation, just flowery words like "I'm sorry, let's keep our shared memories beautiful," so it's even more...
3. 20 years, they probably tolerated him like family. I hope that fan can truly find peace. Your life is longer than 20 years, live for yourself, and I wish you happiness.
4. But it's amazing that he still has fans now, and it's also amazing that he treated these fans that way.
5. But why post it on his personal Instagram...?
6. Idols, please cherish your fans while they're still around, hahaha.
7. Isn't it too late? What's he doing now?
8. He posted it on Instagram because Instagram is the only communication channel, right? Posting on Instagram is fine, but treating fans like caught fish for 20 years and now pretending to change makes him seem terrible...
9. How many times have we said it? Cherish what you have while you have it.
10. Only now does he feel grateful.
11. He should know how to contact them, why not apologize privately? What's with doing this after so long?
12. It seems he's really in hot water. But based on what's been publicly revealed so far, if that fan site operator returns because of such a vague apology, they'll probably face even greater ridicule than now.
13. Hahaha, if it hadn't been publicly discussed, he definitely wouldn't have done it; he would have pretended not to know. He had so many opportunities and didn't realize, that's wrong.
14. Doesn't he have any artists he likes anymore, to like him for 20 years? Hahaha
15. Sigh... following a celebrity for so long, and it ends like this...
16. What was the decisive reason for a fan of 20 years to leave? A fan who stayed through so many things for so long.
17. It's too late.
18. It's really too late.
19. No way, there was no movement for over two weeks, and now suddenly this??? What does he want?
20. How long has the news of fans leaving been out, and he's only doing this now...?
21. Isn't it too late?
22. Only now does he start to feel a little regret.
23. It's too late, even if he posted it that day, it would have been late...
24. Only now does he feel the impact of reality.
25. He realized it too late.
26. Is it because that fan left, and now there's no one working for the company?
27. Is a fan page that important?
28. It seems like no one is working now.
29. He should have cherished them while they were there.
30. What an extremely avoidant person, what's the use of cleaning up the mess now?
31. He said he wanted to convey his sincerity, even if it was late. The fan has already moved on, and he felt that void, writing this post with regret. Thank you for all this time, and I'm sorry. I think it's good that he could write it out honestly, even if it's late. He's not asking the fans to come back. He just hopes that fans won't spend more time being sad, wasting time, or feeling upset, and can let everything go. It would be sad to regret the people, time, and effort one once cherished. Even if the subject is that person...
32. He really didn't cherish them when they were there, and now that they're gone, he writes such a sentimental post...
33. Only now? After everything blew up, he does this, hahaha.
34. A certain company kept making that fan site master do a lot of work, and the fan site master kept enduring it without showing it. But while the fan site master was preparing a photo exhibition, a certain person's dating scandal broke out, causing the participation rate for the photo exhibition to drop, and it was ultimately canceled. Fans who didn't know the inside story might even blame the fan site master.
35. How long ago did the fan site master say they were leaving on the recommended page, and he's only doing this now...?
36. Maybe the remaining large fan groups also exploded, so he hastily apologized.
37. It's better than doing nothing, right...?
38. Hahaha, no, he really wrote it so quickly.
39. It's just locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
40. What are you doing now, old man?
41. Sigh, I should have expressed more.
42. Belated sincerity, he clearly knows how to contact them but doesn't do it privately, posting it on Instagram like this, isn't this all just for show?
43. Only now? Have they already left the fandom?
44. He should have cherished them when they were there.
45. What an incredibly weak man...
46. Not treating such fans well is the biggest mistake.
47. Hah, why post something like this? Doesn't he know this is even worse for fans... hah.
48. Couldn't he have been a little nicer to them for 20 years? 20 years is enough time for a child to grow into an adult.
49. Why do people always realize the value of something only after losing it?
50. Those fans must really be feeling a very real impact...
51. How long has this been going on, and he's only doing this now?... Did he think it wasn't important, and only now that it's truly gone does he feel regret?
