Things are heating up in the Super Junior (슈퍼주니어) fandom, and lately it hasn’t been for positive reasons. Member Choi Siwon (최시원) has faced significant backlash for his tribute to American political activist Charlie Kirk, as well as for sharing a video that was widely regarded as Islamophobic. As a result, the hashtag #SIWON_OUT trended on social media.
Fans have since speculated that several members of the group disagree with his beliefs, noting that they have unfollowed the controversial idol on Instagram. The issue appears unresolved, as leader Leeteuk (이특) recently posted a group photo without Siwon in it. Was it a subtle hint of conflict within Super Junior, or merely an oversight on his part? Let’s find out:
For context, aside from the aforementioned issues, Choi Siwon recently hosted a livestream on TikTok, during which some viewers were able to join in. At one point in the broadcast, he said, “I’m a politician from North Korea […] I’m just Kim Jong Un’s cousin […] I’m a politician, I’m just working for my country now.” Whether he was being sarcastic or joking, the comments did not sit well with fans, who criticised him for mentioning such a sensitive topic.
What surprised fans most was Super Junior leader Leeteuk’s actions shortly afterwards. On the same day, he posted a carousel of photos on his Instagram page, including a group shot of Super Junior. However, Siwon was scribbled out in the image, and the comments section was restricted.
This sparked reactions from fans, many of whom believe the move may have been deliberate. Some speculated that Leeteuk no longer acknowledges Siwon as a member following his recent livestream, while others expressed hope that Siwon would be removed from the group entirely. The post was deleted hours later, and the leader went live on social media to clarify the situation.
According to the 42-year-old, the photo was an oversight, as he had assumed all members were present. He asked fans not to read too much into it, emphasising that there was no particular meaning behind it. The explanation, however, did little to stop fans from speculating that he may have been compelled to address the post. Some suggested that there was no way Leeteuk, as the leader, could have failed to notice a member was missing from the group photo. Others believed he was only responding because his management and agency instructed him to do so.
What do you think about the situation? Was Leeteuk being less than truthful about the post, or was it genuinely an honest mistake? Perhaps one day we’ll finally get an answer to this ongoing issue.
Watch Leeteuk’s explanation below:
Choi Siwon’s latest controversial livestream moment:
@remahanrengginangdunia Siwon pas colab live sama mbak ini dia di tanya sama mbak ini “apa kamu terkenal?” Aku pikir dia bakalan jawab kayak kemarin kan pura pura tidak terkenal ternyata tidak dong. Jawaban Siwon malah sangat di luar nurul dan membagongkan 🤣 Jawaban Siwon “Aku politikus sepupunya Kim Jong Un” #choisiwon #siwon #idolkpop #idolkorea #idolkpopkorea
Sources: Instagram, Twitter (1)(2)(3)
