Honey J and Aiki issue public apologies over profanity in reaction video

Two of the biggest names from Mnet’s ‘Street Woman Fighter 3’ (‘SWF3’) — Honey J and Aiki — have come under fire after making inappropriate comments in a recently uploaded YouTube reaction video. Both dancers have since issued public apologies, and the video in question has been deleted.

On June 21 KST, a reaction video to episode 1 of ‘SWF3’ was posted on Hyojin Choi’s personal YouTube channel ‘오늘도최효진 Hyojin Choi'. In the video, Honey J reacted to a dancer’s performance by saying, “Is that even dancing? That’s just f—,” a comment some viewers criticized as sexually inappropriate. Aiki was also heard yelling a vulgar insult at the screen in a moment of heightened emotion.

Although the video was promptly removed, the clips were already spreading across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and online communities, sparking widespread criticism.

On June 22 KST, both Honey J and Aiki posted lengthy apology statements via social media, each accompanied by a black background image.

Honey J wrote:
“I sincerely apologize to everyone who felt hurt or disappointed by the careless words I used in the YouTube video uploaded last night.”

She explained, “We were watching the premiere together in a casual setting, and I got carried away in the moment, reacting too harshly to a fellow dancer. I deeply regret my thoughtless behavior.”

She added, “As soon as I realized the issue, I personally apologized to the dancer involved. Though they were generous in understanding, I want to say once again how truly sorry I am.”

“This experience made me realize how much weight even a single word can carry,” she continued. “I will be more careful with my words and ensure that I never repeat this kind of mistake again.”

Aiki also issued her statement around the same time:
“This is Aiki. I sincerely apologize to those who felt uncomfortable due to the emotional language I used in the reaction video.”

“Even if the emotion comes from a place of passion for the stage, I’ve learned that it can still hurt others. I apologize once again to the other crew,” she added.
“From now on, I’ll be more thoughtful in how I communicate, no matter the situation.”

The backlash has been particularly sharp given the recent popularity of the ‘Beomjeop’ mission performance, which surpassed 10 million views online. With the Korean team enjoying renewed attention, the incident has led to widespread disappointment among fans.

Online reactions have been mixed. Some criticized the dancers harshly with comments like, “This is so low-class,” “Shocking that this is how they speak casually,” and “Why didn’t they at least edit it out?” Others took a more forgiving stance, saying that the two had acknowledged their mistake and deserved support.