Eunseok Bubble Apology Follows Racism Controversy Over Childhood Photo Message

RIIZE member Eunseok issued an apology on the fan communication platform Bubble on May 6, 2026, after reports said he used an inappropriate expression while sharing a childhood photo the previous day. The apology came after the message was criticized by some overseas fans as racially insensitive, placing the Eunseok racism controversy at the center of K-pop fan discussion around language, context, and global audiences. ¹

Multiple Korean entertainment outlets reported that Eunseok had sent fans a childhood photo on May 5, Children’s Day in South Korea, and added a term that was later described in coverage as a derogatory expression toward Black people. The message was reportedly deleted shortly after it was sent, but screenshots and discussion spread through online communities before the apology was posted. ²

Eunseok’s Bubble Apology

In his Bubble apology, Eunseok acknowledged that he had used the wrong wording while sending a childhood photo. Sports Kyunghyang reported that he wrote, “I used an incorrect expression while sending a photo from my childhood yesterday,” and added that he would “think and act more carefully” going forward. ¹

Financial News, carrying a News1 report, said Eunseok apologized to those who may have felt uncomfortable because of his “short-sighted thinking and inappropriate word choice.” ² Star News also reported that he posted an apology on May 6 and included the phrase “I sincerely apologize” in its account of the message. ³

The reports describe the apology as being delivered through Bubble, the same fan-facing communication channel where the original message was shared. No separate long-form agency statement is included in the provided source material, and the available reports focus on Eunseok’s own message to fans rather than a broader corporate response.

The issue drew attention because Bubble messages are directed to fans but are often quickly circulated beyond the platform. According to the reports, the original post was deleted immediately or shortly after being sent, yet criticism continued after the wording was noticed by overseas fans and discussed on community sites. ³

What Reports Say Happened

The timeline presented across the reports is consistent. On May 5, Eunseok marked Children’s Day by sharing an old childhood photo. The wording attached to that photo then became the focus of criticism, with some overseas fans identifying it as a racist or racially derogatory expression. On May 6, he posted an apology through Bubble. ⁴

Sports Hankook, through Nate Entertainment, reported that the May 5 post included an inappropriate comment with an old photo and that Eunseok apologized through Bubble the following day. The same report said criticism had followed among some overseas fans and that the message was deleted immediately. ⁴

iMBC Entertainment reported that the issue spread through various online communities after the fan-platform post and noted public comments that such wording could be misunderstood or cause offense in a global K-pop fandom. ⁵ Maeil Business Newspaper also reported that the message was deleted after being sent, but that criticism still emerged among some overseas fans. ⁶

The coverage does not provide additional details about the childhood image itself beyond saying it was from Eunseok’s younger years. One report said the photo showed his skin appearing tanned, but the central issue across the sources is the wording attached to the image, not the image alone. ²

Wider Context Around RIIZE

Eunseok is a member of RIIZE, a K-pop group whose activities were also mentioned in several reports about the controversy. Sports Kyunghyang reported that RIIZE was scheduled to return on June 15, 2026, with its second mini album. ¹ Financial News and News1 also noted that the group was preparing for a June 2026 comeback. ²

The comeback references appeared as background information in the entertainment reports, not as part of the apology itself. The source material does not state that the controversy changed RIIZE’s promotional schedule, comeback plans, or official activities. It also does not include any confirmed disciplinary action, additional agency statement, or follow-up announcement beyond the Bubble apology described by the outlets.

The incident underscores how private-style fan messages from idols can become public-facing matters when they are shared or discussed outside paid communication platforms. In this case, the core confirmed facts are limited: Eunseok sent a Children’s Day message with a childhood photo on May 5, used an inappropriate expression, deleted the message, and apologized on Bubble on May 6 after criticism emerged. ¹

As of the available reports, the matter stands on Eunseok’s Bubble apology and the media accounts of the deleted message. The coverage presents the apology as a response to criticism over inappropriate wording, while leaving any further response from RIIZE’s side unconfirmed in the provided source material.

작성자 소개

Cloi Lee

Author

모든 글 보기