Boy band Super Junior's member and actor Choi Si-wonNEWS1
Super Junior member and actor Choi Si-won denied supporting any particular political figure or camp after social media posts praising a television anchor sparked speculation about his political views.
"I sincerely thank everyone who has shown concern for me," Choi wrote on Instagram Monday. But "I don't think it is appropriate to conclude that someone belongs to a particular individual or political camp based only on personal likes and dislikes or selective opinions."
The statement came a day after Choi recommended a book by Kim Jin, an anchor at Korean broadcaster Channel A.Kim is widely known to lead shows that lean right.
"I really enjoyed reading anchor Kim Jin's book," Choi wroteon his Instagram on Sunday. "It helped me see the world from a broader and deeper perspective. I highly recommend it."
Responding to his post, commenters pushed against Kim's perceived loyalties on the right, with some encouraging Choi to watch a farther-right YouTube channel.
Responding in the comment section, Choi said journalists devote themselves to examining major public issues and that their views should not be reduced to political labels.
"If someone has spent a long time reflecting before publicly expressing their views under their own name, I think it is worth calmly considering both the content and the intent," he wrote. "Even when someone holds a different opinion, we should first try to understand their thinking and the background behind it rather than rushing to conclusions."
Choi Si-won's Instagram post praising the book of Korean broadcaster Channel A Anchor Kim Jin, uploaded on Aug. 2SCREEN CAPTURE
He added that people should be judged by their words and actions, rather than by political affiliation alone.
"What we need now is neither silence that avoids responsibility nor division that turns one another into enemies," Choi wrote. "Wrongdoing should be corrected, but recovery that allows us to move forward together must come first."
Kim also defended Choi on Instagram.
"Neither actors nor news anchors belong to anyone's side or faction," Kim wrote. "The Choi Si-won I know is a sensible entertainer who loves his country and has no political agenda."
Kim added that he had always worked with the belief that Korea should become a better country for future generations.
"It saddens me that this has become a controversy over political colors. It shows how divided our society has become," he wrote.
The controversy is the latest stemming from social media posts by Choi.
Last month, he expressed support on Threads for demonstrators who participated in a protest calling for the closure of a vote-counting center in Songpa District, southern Seoul, during the June 3 local elections, writing that they were "citizens working to protect Korea's democracy and the value of every vote."
He also deleted a tribute he posted after the September 2025 fatal shooting of U.S. conservative political activist Charlie Kirk. In February, after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment in his first criminal trial on insurrection charges, Choi posted the Chinese idioms describing the complete disintegration of a state or organization.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [shin.woojin@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
