Choi Jun-hee Instagram screenshot.

Choi Jun-hee, the daughter of the late Choi Jin-sil and an influencer, engaged in a social media war of words with another influencer.

The controversy began with a recent post about the ballot-paper shortage during the June 3 local elections. An influencer with about 180,000 followers posted a satirical piece portraying some participants at a protest site near the comparatively amenity-rich Jamsil Olympic Park as making excessive demands for food support.

Afterward, the post drew a stream of vile comments unfit to repeat, and on the 8th the influencer reiterated a position, saying, “Condemning the National Election Commission management of ballot papers is entirely different from aligning with the claims of a particular political camp.”

Influencer Instagram screenshot.

In the process, Choi Jun-hee sent the influencer a DM (direct message), saying, “Then why post something like this,” and, “It is blowing up on Threads, and even when I express concern, you make a fuss.”

The influencer disclosed the exchange and countered, “That is not concern; that is what we call justifying malicious comments.”

It was then reported that the two sides blocked each other. However, Choi Jun-hee posted on her Threads, “You are afraid of a large amount of legitimate criticism, and because an apology would hurt your pride, you want to hit block and play make-believe; but watching you tell your fans, ‘I am scared, please scold them for me,’ is truly unfortunate.”

To this, the influencer shot back, “Then what were you afraid of, Jun-hee, that you blocked me?” and the public back-and-forth continued.

Meanwhile, on the 6th, Choi Jun-hee announced via social media that a planned market schedule would be postponed. She said it was “a decision made after much deliberation while looking at the current situation and social mood in the Republic of Korea,” adding, “I thought there were things more important than sales right now.”

Earlier, after it became known that Choi Jun-hee had hit ‘Like’ on a BBC News Korea post about the ballot-paper shortage, some internet users began to speculate that the decision to postpone the market might also be related to the recent controversy.