KARA's Kang Jiyoung recalled the time she burst into tears after refusing a request for aegyo on 'Radio Star.'
On the 26th, a video featuring BIGBANG's Daesung, KARA's Kang Jiyoung and Heo Youngji was posted on the Youtube channel 'ZipDaesung.'
Back in 2013, Kang Jiyoung, who appeared on 'Radio Star' with Han Seungyoun and the late Goo Hara, became visibly distressed when pressured by the MCs to show aegyo. She eventually burst into tears while attempting to do it. This unexpectedly escalated into a controversy over her 'attitude,' drawing criticism from the public. At the time, Kang Jiyoung was only 19 years old in Korean age.
Looking back, Kang Jiyoung said, "After that, I developed a slight fear and anxiety toward Korean variety shows. I felt like I had failed to handle it properly."
Daesung reassured her, "Let's talk about it honestly. It's not like that you refused because you didn't want to do it." Kang Jiyoung revealed, "That's right. I've never told anyone before, but my dog was sick that day."
She explained, "My dog suddenly got sick, so I had to go to the vet. I wasn't in a good mood that day. As a professional, I shouldn't have shown it on broadcast, but after the member before me cried and the focus came to me, I got carried in the mood and ended up saying, 'I can't do it.' I think it was just because I was a teenager."
Daesung empathized, saying, "At that age, it's totally understandable. For me, if someone had made the mood lighter, maybe I could've done it. But when the mood shifted from tears, it's not easy to be the mood changer and do aegyo."
When Kang Jiyoung said, "If you ask me to do it now, I'll do anything," Daesung replied, "Then shall we see the aegyo you couldn't do back then?" Jiyoung laughed it off, saying, "These days, aegyo is not something you should force. Isn't flirting kinda feels like aegyo?" and then made everyone laugh by acting out a blind date scenario, asking "Can I get drunk today?"
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-The MCs were really mean back then. Even at that time, I thought KARA getting criticized was a witch hunt.
-I didn't understand why she got so much hate at that time... Why ask her to do aegyo in the first place?
-Honestly, I couldn't understand the public's reaction at that time.
-Even if her dog wasn't sick, she didn't have to do it. Why don't those old men do all the aegyo they want themselves? They're so f*cking gross for doing that to a kid.
-They still force people to do aegyo now. Why do they want to see an adult act like a child?
-I always felt the editing was really malicious at that time... It was a situation they could've easily edited out, but they intentionally aired it so she'd get hate.
-There were so many crazy people back then.. Imagine how much she must've suffered mentally, getting hate like she committed a crime over something so trivial.
-Personally, I really hate it when people order someone to do aegyo...
-Regardless of her situation that day, I completely understand her. She shouldn't even have to explain herself.
-KARA got so much hate at that time.
-They were being really mean to a 19-year-old kid.
-Don't explain yourself. Don't let that bother you.
-It's s upsetting that she still feels like she has to explain thatㅠㅠ She was so young back then...
-I feel so sorry for herㅜㅜ
-This is so upsetting.
