Korean travel Youtuber Kwak Junbin’s now-deleted video featuring Lee Naeun, former member of the K-pop group APRIL, has been facing severe criticism from K-netizens since its release on Sept. 16.

The video where Kwak and Lee travel through Europe made many watchers frown due to their conversations. While having dinner, Kwak brought up that he had blocked Lee right after hearing news of her involvement in a controversy alongside her group APRIL. Both Lee and APRIL have faced allegations of bullying a former member Lee Hyunjoo. Kwak then mentioned that he unblocked her after reading reports of her denial of the accusations. Lee responded, saying, “I was upset and sad because so many people truly misunderstood and blocked me.”
The video sparked heated debate online, with many criticizing Lee for not addressing the controversy in a more serious, reflective manner. Some viewers found the casual discussion about the bullying scandal disrespectful, especially as the accusations surrounding APRIL’s alleged mistreatment of their former member, Hyunjoo, had deeply impacted fans. Others questioned KwakTube’s judgment in uploading the video, given the sensitivity of the topic.
The backlash grew even stronger because of KwakTube’s personal backstory. Kwak has continually shared his own experiences of being a victim of school violence, using his story of resilience and survival as a central theme in his content. This made his actions even more controversial, as many felt it was contradictory for someone who had experienced bullying to defend someone accused of it. Critics argued that KwakTube has no authority to forgive Lee Naeun.
“I’m not sure why Kwak is defending Lee Naeun,” Ashley Croft (11), former KwakTube subscriber, said. “I unsubscribed [from] him right after. I feel bad for Kwak. Naeun’s just using his popularity to return and gain empathy.”
The incident has sparked wider discussions on the responsibilities of influencers when addressing sensitive issues and the impact of their actions on public perceptions, especially when they have been vocal about similar personal struggles.
However, some people view criticism toward Kwak as too extreme.
“Although I don’t know a lot about the situation, my stance in this controversy is the closest to neutral because Lee Naeun’s bullying incident is not confirmed,” Yegene Hwang (10), media enthusiast said. “Since her actions were not confirmed, Kwak might’ve actually not known, so I think hatred towards him is too severe.”