Boycott against IU, Girls' Generation's Yuri, and NewJeans backfires, inspires fans to show even more support

A boycott movement emerged against stars like IU, Girls' Generation's Yuri, and NewJeans, who have shown support for the impeachment rally by purchasing food and beverages for protesters against President Yoon Suk Yeol. However, other netizens have responded by calling for a "Donjjul" — a slang term meaning to support them financially as a show of approval — to counter the boycott efforts.

On December 3, following President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, a rally demanding his impeachment began in Yeouido and has continued for two weeks. Several celebrities offered their support to rally attendees by making "pre-paid" contributions. 

On December 13, IU’s agency stated, “Hoping to warm the cold hands of UAENA (IU’s fandom) as they attend the rally holding light sticks in the chilly weather, we prepared food and hot packs.” They pre-paid for 200 pieces of bread, 100 rice cakes, 200 drinks, and 200 bowls of rice soup at five stores near Yeouido.

Film director Park Chan Wook also joined in, buying up all the freshly baked bread from a bakery near the National Assembly and distributing it to rally participants. Girls' Generation’s Yuri pre-paid for kimbap at a shop in Dangsan-dong and expressed her gratitude to fans who were singing the group’s hit song “Into the New World” at the rally. Meanwhile, NewJeans revealed through their newly opened "NewJeans" social media account that they had pre-paid for 500 servings of kimbap, drinks, and Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) to support rally attendees.

With an estimated 2 million citizens participating in the Yeouido rally, and public opinion polls showing overwhelming support for the impeachment, many netizens praised the actions of these stars. Their support was seen as a gesture of solidarity with their fans and citizens involved in the protest.

However, there was also backlash. Some netizens called for a boycott of products and brands endorsed by IU, Yuri, and NewJeans. These users circulated lists of brands for which the stars are advertising models, encouraging people to avoid buying these products. This proposal spread through online communities, sparking a heated debate.

Despite this, a much larger number of netizens criticized the boycott movement. Some responded, “Why does it matter? These celebrities care and love their fans” and “Don’t they (boycotters) know this is pointless?”  Many countered the boycott with calls to support the stars more actively, saying, “If anything, we should buy even more.” The backlash against the boycott appears to be having the opposite effect, with growing calls to support the artists instead.

A representative from a brand associated with one of the stars told Ilgan Sports, “We saw the reports, but there hasn't been a significant impact on sales over the weekend.”

Meanwhile, on December 14, the National Assembly voted on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol. Out of 300 lawmakers, 204 voted in favor, 85 opposed, 3 abstained, and 8 votes were deemed invalid. As a result, President Yoon’s duties have been officially suspended.