Taiwanese celeb Yuri Huang, also known by her stage name Yao Yao, has come under fire for a tone-deaf post she made on Instagram earlier this week.
On March 15, thousands gathered in rallies in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun and Yeouido, to support or oppose President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.
Yao Yao, who was vacationing in Seoul at the time, chanced upon the rally in Gwanghwamun. Rather than simply passing through the area like most tourists, she stopped to, um, capture the moment for the ‘gram.
Sharing her experience, the 38-year-old expressed shock at witnessing the protest up-close for the first time.
She posted photos of herself holding tteokbokki (Korean rice cake), churros, and a corndog, adding she was “embarrassed” that she had “accidentally gotten free food and drinks”.
The food was meant for protestors.
Yao Yao even likened the demonstration to a “carnival”, with food trucks and mats to sit on.
“After finding out that I’m from overseas, people were very welcoming, and some even chatted with me, asking me to eat more. It’s so cool!” she wrote.
“I can only say that you can’t look down upon the unity of Koreans. This was a really unique experience,” she continued.
Did Yao Yao not grasp the significance of what was happening around her?
Her post quickly went viral, sparking backlash from both Korean and Taiwanese netizens.
Korean commenters slammed her for treating the protest as a casual event, while many Taiwanese netizens, ashamed by her behaviour, apologised on her behalf.
“This woman has embarrassed the whole of Taiwan. I’m apologising to all South Korean protestors in her place,” wrote one netizen.
Another added: “I hope these comments show the Koreans that she does not represent the rest of us.”
Some also criticised Yao Yao for “lacking cultural awareness” and having a “shallow world view”.
When fans told Yao Yao not to be bothered by online criticism, she responded nonchalantly: “No worries, thanks for your message! I wasn’t being careful enough, but I just happened to pass by and take some pictures while grabbing free food. I’m not really paying attention to their comments — I’ll just keep enjoying my meals and my trip as usual.”