Travel creator and YouTuber KwakTube (real name Kwak Joon Bin) has issued another apology following the controversy surrounding his comments, which seemed to defend actress Lee Naeun, a former member of April, regarding her bullying allegations.
On the afternoon of September 18, KwakTube posted a lengthy statement on the community page of his YouTube channel, saying, "When I initially made the video private, I was in a state of confusion and fear, and my first thought was that I needed to apologize quickly. Now, with a calmer mindset, I am writing this to properly convey my feelings."
KwakTube sincerely apologized for making many people uncomfortable with the upload and subsequent removal of his Italy video on September 16. He admitted, "After taking the video down, I reviewed the related content and the comments left by viewers one by one. I realized that I was ignorant and reckless, and I am deeply reflecting on my actions."
He further explained the situation that led to the video: "I had initially blocked Lee Naeun, believing her to be a perpetrator of school violence. However, after seeing the court ruling, I felt I had misunderstood, which led me to feel sorry. During this time, I happened to meet her by chance, and, driven by this feeling of guilt, I suggested the trip to Italy without giving it much further thought."
KwakTube reflected on his own experience, saying, "As has been revealed by various media outlets, I am also a victim of school violence. Even now, I carry scars that have yet to heal. However, I arrogantly thought that because I had experienced such pain, I would be able to understand this issue better than anyone else."
He went on to say, "I failed to carefully consider how my arrogant and wrong judgment could cause further harm to the victims. I sincerely apologize to the victims who may have been hurt again due to the resurfacing of past events. This is entirely my fault, and there is no excuse."
KwakTube concluded by saying, "Through this incident, I have reflected deeply on my shortcomings. Moving forward, I will act with greater responsibility and caution to ensure I do not say or do anything that could hurt others. I will not forget that it is because of your interest and encouragement that KwakTube exists today, and I will strive to reflect on myself. Once again, I deeply apologize for causing concern during the Chuseok holidays."
The full statement can be found below or on KwakTube's YouTube community page:
"Hello, this is Kwak Joon Bin,
When I initially made the video private, I was in a state of confusion and fear, and my first thought was that I needed to apologize quickly. Now, with a calmer mindset, I am writing this to properly convey my feelings.
I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort to many people due to the upload and subsequent privatization of the Italy video on the 16th (Monday)
After taking the video down, I reviewed the related content and the comments left by viewers one by one. I realized that I was ignorant and reckless, and I am deeply reflecting on my actions.
I had initially blocked Lee Naeun, believing her to be a perpetrator of school violence. However, after seeing the court ruling, I felt I had misunderstood, which led me to feel sorry. During this time, I happened to meet her by chance, and, driven by this feeling of guilt, I suggested the trip to Italy without giving it much further thought.
As has been revealed by various media outlets, I am also a victim of school violence. Even now, I carry scars that have yet to heal. However, I arrogantly thought that because I had experienced such pain, I would be able to understand this issue better than anyone else.
I failed to carefully consider how my arrogant and wrong judgment could cause further harm to the victims. I sincerely apologize to the victims who may have been hurt again due to the resurfacing of past events. This is entirely my fault, and there is no excuse.
Through this incident, I have deeply reflected on my shortcomings. From now on, I will act with greater responsibility and caution to ensure I do not say or do anything that could hurt others. I will not forget that it is because of your interest and encouragement that KwakTube exists today, and I will continue to reflect on myself. Once again, I deeply apologize for causing concern during the Chuseok holidays.
Thank you for reading this long message."
Meanwhile, Kwaktube has been under controversy after uploading a video showing his trip to Italy with former April member Naeun. KwakTube, who had publicly shared his own experiences as a victim of school bullying, was criticized for appearing to defend Naeun in the video, leading to widespread criticism from viewers who felt he was siding with an alleged bully.
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