Park Jun-hyung, the eldest member of the group god, showed his magnanimity despite Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young's remark about “outdated idols.”
On the 9th, Park Jun-hyung posted on social media, “You all worked hard on this hot day,” and added, “You are always the best. Be careful on your way back home, little ones (fan nickname), watch out for the heat, and see you soon.”
He continued, “No matter what anyone says, we are okay. It’s just a day or two of business. Seriously. You know what I mean? I just hope you don’t get hurt by someone’s careless words. We are fine. So, you should also broaden your hearts and not get hurt,” and reassured fans, “Don’t stress over trivial things. We have bigger things ahead.”
On this day, god participated in the recording of KBS2's entertainment program ‘Immortal Songs’ for the 2025 Gyeongju APEC special.
Netizens who attended the recording reported on social media that the mayor went on stage and said, “god is a singer from our generation, but hasn’t it faded away?” Following this, there was a flood of posts online demanding an apology and clarification.
In response to the controversy, Mayor Joo Nak-young issued an official apology through social media, stating, “I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort with my remarks during the recording of KBS2’s ‘Immortal Songs – Gyeongju APEC Special’ today (June 9).”
He added, “The remark was not intended to belittle any specific artist,” and clarified, “I mentioned it with fondness and affection for god, who we also loved and cherished in our generation, and who is still actively performing.”
Debuting in 1999, god has released numerous hit songs such as ‘To Mother,’ ‘I Love You and Remember,’ ‘Nostalgia,’ ‘Lie,’ ‘One Candle,’ ‘Sky Blue Balloon,’ ‘Sky Blue Promise,’ ‘Road,’ ‘Again,’ ‘Where You Should Be,’ ‘Letter,’ ‘0%,’ and ‘Ordinary Day,’ receiving great love from fans.
