Actor Ryu Jun Yeol responds after being accused of being a user of “Ilbe.”
The site “Ilbe” is an abbreviation for “Ilgan Best,” a site known for trolling, political satire and the likes.
The rumors of the actor being an “Ilbe” user started when the actor uploaded a photo of him rock climbing on his Instagram account along with the caption, “Going to get tofu for mom.” Netizens then questioned Ryu Jun Yeol if he was mocking the late former president Roh Moo Hyun who committed suicide by jumping off a cliff as netizens noted that the actor was climbing a rock face similar to what Roh Moo Hyun jumped from. They also questioned the actor’s use of the words “tofu” and “cliff face” which are said to have other meanings in the “Ilbe” slang.
With regards to the issue, Ryu Jun Yeol responds, “I went to hike that day. The caption was from my friend, who took the photo and wrote ‘What it is like leaving work.’ I added tofu since I go and buy tofu and bean sprouts for my mom.”
He adds, “I don’t use ‘Ilbe.’ I don’t know why anyone would say such. However, even though it is the truth, there are a lot of fans who might have been worried and hurt. I do believe that because I am a public figure, it is my responsibility to make things right. Again, I am not an Ilbe user and I never used the kind of language used in there.”