Professor Seomin on Controversy Over 'Hong-eo Junpyo Ssipda' as Disrespect to Jeolla Province: "I Committed a Grave Sin"

Controversy Over 'Hongeo Junpyo' Expression on YouTube Thumbnail
Seomin: "A Deadly Sin... I Will Quit YouTube"
Hong Junpyo Criticizes, "It's Embarrassing That Such a Person Claims to Be a University Professor"

A video uploaded on the 31st of last month on the YouTube channel 'Seomin's Parasite TV'. /Photo by YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Parasitologist Professor Min Seo of Dankook University is embroiled in controversy for using the regional slur 'hongeo' in the thumbnail (preview image) of a video on his YouTube channel. Professor Seo apologized, saying, "I have committed a grave sin," but explained that he was not involved in creating the YouTube thumbnail.

On the 31st of last month, Professor Seo conducted a live broadcast on his YouTube channel 'Min Seo's Parasite TV' titled "Professor Min Seo serves hongeo and beer for candidate Yoon Seok-yeol's health!?"

Professor Seo has previously expressed support for Yoon Seok-yeol, a candidate in the People Power Party's presidential primary, and has uploaded promotional videos for Yoon on YouTube. During this broadcast, Professor Seo conducted a 'hongeo mukbang (eating broadcast)' and made critical remarks about another People Power Party presidential primary candidate, Hong Joon-pyo.

The issue arose because the thumbnail of the video uploaded to the channel after the live broadcast included a regional slur. The thumbnail contained the phrase "Chewing hongeo Jun-pyo for Yoon Seok-yeol."

'Hongeo' is known as a hateful term used in some online communities to disparage people from Jeolla Province. The term 'Hongeo Jun-pyo' used in the thumbnail appears to be a combination of 'hongeo' and 'Hong Joon-pyo.'

Professor Seomin, Dankook University. Photo by Yonhap News

Hong Joon-pyo's camp immediately expressed displeasure. On the 2nd, spokesperson Yeomyeong of Hong Joon-pyo's campaign issued a statement saying, "'Hongeo,' a representative specialty of the Honam region, has long been used online as a derogatory term for Honam or Honam people," and criticized it as "defamation of candidate Hong Joon-pyo and a clear insult to the people of Jeolla Province."

Hong himself posted on Facebook the same day, saying, "It is truly embarrassing that such a person has been posing as a university professor until now in the Republic of Korea," and added, "Please stop meddling in politics and just study parasites."

In response, Professor Seo apologized, saying, "I have committed a grave sin," but claimed he was unaware that a thumbnail containing the term 'hongeo' had been uploaded.

Professor Seo posted an apology on Facebook that day, stating, "I thought I should not act recklessly during election season and have not been writing often, but that was not enough," and said, "I have committed a grave sin. I will shut down Parasite TV."

He explained, "I am from Jeolla Province. I know well what 'hongeo' means," and added, "To make a pitiful excuse, I was not involved in the Parasite TV video thumbnails. If I had seen that thumbnail, I would have immediately taken it down."

He continued, "Even so, the responsibility for this matter lies solely with me. As a sign of apology, I will suspend my blog, Facebook, and YouTube activities for the time being," and said, "I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt by the vulgar thumbnail." Currently, all videos on Professor Seo's YouTube channel have been set to private.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.