Mayor Joo Nak-young of Gyeongju faced backlash after questioning if the group god had fallen out of relevance, leading to an official apology.
The incident unfolded on the 9th, at a helipad next to the Boduk-dong Community Welfare Center in Gyeongju, right before the recording of KBS's "Immortal Songs" 2025 Gyeongju APEC special.
Before the recording, a pre-show MC was hyping up the crowd, saying, "Your favorite singers are listening from behind the stage. Shall we hear a word from Mayor Joo?" Taking the mic, Mayor Joo, upon noticing god listed among the performers, remarked, "god was a band from our generation, haven't they past their prime?" This comment did not sit well with fans.
As criticism mounted, Mayor Joo took to social media to express his regret, stating, "If my remarks caused any discomfort, I deeply apologize." He clarified that his comment was not intended to belittle any artist.
Mayor Joo further explained, "My comment was meant to express surprise and affection, knowing that god, a group we dearly loved, is still actively performing. However, I acknowledge that my words were poorly chosen and if they have hurt the fans, I take this matter seriously and offer my sincere apologies."
god's leader, Park Joon-hyung, consoled upset fans. In his performance remarks, he said, "It was incredibly hot, but you all did great. No matter what anyone says, we're okay. We're not in this for just a day or two. I hope none of you are hurt by someone's mistake or words. We're fine, and so should you be. Love you all. Don't stress over the small stuff. We still have bigger things ahead of us."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)