31st-cohort Ok-soon·Young-ja. Screen capture from the YouTube channel ‘Chonjang Entertainment TV’.
Past social-media traces of Ok-soon and Young-ja, contestants from the 31st cohort of SBS Plus·ENA ‘I Am Solo’, are being revisited.
Recently, 31st-cohort Ok-soon shared on her social media a lengthy apology along with portions of the female contestants’ group KakaoTalk chat. Afterward, online attention focused on the fact that the 31st-cohort female contestants unfollowed Ok-soon’s social-media account.
Amid this, the pair’s friendly pre-broadcast exchanges on social media have also drawn renewed attention.
In January, on Young-ja’s post, Ok-soon left a comment: “Your legs are so long they could connect Seoul and Busan. I can’t see the end.” In reply, Young-ja said, “Your delicate purity is like Russia’s Lake Baikal, purity itself,” creating a cheerful mood. On another post, Jeong-hee commented to Young-ja, “Oh my, so pretty,” and Young-ja responded, “The feeling of being complimented by a beauty.”
Previously, the 31st cohort of ‘I Am Solo’ sparked a major uproar over an alleged ‘bullying controversy’ involving Ok-soon, Young-sook, Jeong-hee, and others. A scene showing some of the female contestants evaluating and talking about Soon-ja while she was right next to them aired, drawing heavy criticism from viewers. In contrast, throughout the broadcast Young-ja was seen comforting and encouraging Soon-ja, and after the show Soon-ja also said, “I was able to endure thanks to Young-ja.”
However, in a video released on the YouTube channel ‘Chonjang Entertainment TV’ on the 29th of last month, regarding the ‘girl-talk’ controversy, Young-ja said, “If you make it a problem, it becomes a problem; if you move on without making it a problem, I think it doesn’t become one.”
Following that remark, online reactions ranged from criticism such as “Soon-ja was having a hard time, and it seems she took it too lightly,” to defenses like “At the time, she was just getting on with social life,” with diverse responses continuing.
