On August 7, Park Seo Jun took to his online official fan community to address his recent controversy.
Park Seo Jun started off by stating, "I've decided to write this message, thinking of those of you who may have been hurt by what is going on right now. When I first learned about the controversy, I felt really frustrated. At the same time though, I believed that my fans, you guys, would very possibly be more upset than I am, so here I am."
He continued, "Yesterday, I wrapped my day up by reading each of your letter that I received. I went to bed thinking that I had a good day, only to wake up to all kinds of negative words about me. If I expressed my feelings elsewhere, they might not be taken as they truly are. Considering that this is our private space, I believed it would be the most appropriate place for me to speak my mind."
What happened was, when Park Seo Jun and actress Park Bo Young were at a stage greeting for the pre-screening of their upcoming film 'Concrete Utopia', Park Bo Young offered him a Disney-character headband given by a fan.
Immediately after spotting a headband in Park Bo Young's hand, Park Seo Jun pointed to his hair, rejecting to put the headband on due to his hairstyle of the day.
Awkwardly, Park Bo Young nodded and told him, "Okay", then put the headband down to her chest and just held it in her hand throughout the greeting.
This video of the two was posted online following the event, and Park Seo Jun received criticism for being inconsiderate of the fan as well as Park Bo Young.
Many called Park Seo Jun "big-headed" and "arrogant", as he refused to make a 'cheek heart' pose to press photographers in front of the celebrity media wall at an event held by a designer brand about two weeks ago as well.
According to people criticizing Park Seo Jun, he had not been this way in the past; they explained that he has changed because, among other things, he has become much bigger lately.
▶ [SBS Star] VIDEO: Park Seo Jun Gets Bashed for His "Big-Headed" Behavior While Greeting Fans
. https://t.co/gMAxbLQudi pic.twitter.com/v8NmXHL4VX
— 뽀뚜아 (@imaqueen1130) August 6, 2023
Concerning the controversy, Park Seo Jun stated, "To be honest with you, I tend to perspire heavily when I'm at stage greetings. I'm aware that all of you have different preferences when it comes to my hairstyle, but I chose to wear my hair up that day to make it easier to manage sweat.
"My hair was heavily sprayed with hairspray in the morning to keep it in place; to the point where it was hard like a helmet. Putting anything on my hair when it's like that, however, makes my scalp incredibly uncomfortable and painful. It might sound like an excuse, but I would usually put a headband on or anything like that without a second thought. You know that, right?"
Furthermore, the actor clarified things about Park Bo Young, "A lot of people claimed that I put Bo Young in an awkward situation by making her hold the headband for the entire time, but I didn't think the headband was mine. I believed that Bo Young's fan had given her the headband, and I reasoned that the fan would be angry if I took it. But I guess it was a misunderstanding."
"Bo Young and I are on good terms. I mean, we played a married couple in our movie, there's no reason to be uncomfortable with each other. She actually told me that she was sorry for what happened, and I replied, 'There's nothing to apologize for. Let's just successfully complete the rest of our promotional schedule together.'", he added.
Park Seo Jun also shared his side of the story regarding the refusal of a 'cheek heart' pose at a recent event, "On that day, the brand specifically requested me not to make any 'heart' poses. I only tried to keep my word."
Lastly, Park Seo Jun told fans, "Having you gives me strength. As long as I have you, there is nothing I'm afraid of. So, please don't let these words saying this and that get to you."
(SBS Star)