Jo In-sung's Witty Reply to Fan's 'Auntie' Remark Goes Viral

Jo In-sung (조인성) appeared on MBC FM4U's radio show “Kim Shin-young's Noon Hope Song” on June 22 to promote his new film, “Hope.” During the broadcast, a listener shared a comment: “After seeing the video of Jo In-sung saying, 'Where are the aunties here?' during a stage greeting last weekend, my mom has been constantly asking me to get tickets for the stage greetings.”

Jo In-sung recounted the situation for the first time. He explained that he always steps off the stage during greetings to interact closely with the audience, taking photos and shaking hands. On that particular day, a fan sitting on the other side loudly called out, asking him to come over for a photo, then jokingly added, “Can't an auntie get a picture?”

Jo In-sung laughed, saying his immediate response was genuine: “Where are the aunties?” and “I don't see any aunties in my eyes.” Host Kim Shin-young (김신영), upon hearing this, couldn't help but laugh, remarking, “That line already wins.” She praised his heartwarming reply.

Jo In-sung further elaborated that he added, “There are no aunties here.” He clarified that he wasn't trying to flatter anyone but genuinely felt that every audience member's eyes were sparkling. “When I see such bright eyes, there's no distinction between an 'auntie' or not,” he explained.

Indeed, during a recent stage greeting for the film “Hope,” when a female audience member shouted, “Can't an auntie get a photo?” Jo In-sung immediately retorted, “Where are the aunties?” and “There are no aunties here.” This quick-witted and emotionally intelligent response drew applause from the crowd, and the video quickly went viral online.

Many netizens left comments such as, “He's really good with words,” “Just one sentence can brighten your mood,” “His emotional intelligence is so high,” and “No wonder everyone likes him so much.”

Meanwhile, Jo In-sung's new film “Hope,” directed by Na Hong-jin (나홍진) of “The Wailing,” was selected for the official competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival and premiered in Korea on June 15. The movie tells the story of Beom-seok, the head of a police station near the Demilitarized Zone, who faces a series of unbelievable events as the entire village descends into chaos after a tiger is sighted near their community.