Hong Seok-cheon urges Baejae High baseball players to travel to Gwangju and apologize in person

Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon has called on Baejae High School baseball players, who sparked controversy with mocking chants directed at Gwangju Ilgo, to travel to Gwangju and apologize in person.

On Tuesday, Hong posted a video to his Instagram addressing the recent controversy. "I was honestly quite shocked when I saw the news. I thought the students should not be doing something like that," he said.

He went on to say, "Rather than the school issuing a written apology and explaining the circumstances, I think it would be better for the baseball players to go down to Gwangju themselves, talk with the Gwangju Ilgo students, apologize in person, share a warm home-cooked meal with the kind mothers of Gwangju, and then come back."

"I think that is the best way to apologize at their age," he added. "I believe the Gwangju Ilgo students will accept that apology. History must be studied accurately."

The controversy erupted June 29 at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul, where some Baejae High student players shouted chants including "Let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day" toward the Gwangju Ilgo dugout during the 81st Cheongnonggi National High School Baseball Championship. The chants drew criticism for ridiculing the May 18 pro-democracy movement. Baejae High subsequently issued a formal apology, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education launched an investigation into the incident.

Singer JK Kim Dong-wook had earlier shared a news article about the Baejae High incident on his Instagram, writing, "Looks like someone got really triggered. You're going to blow up what happened as a minor incident during a kids' baseball game?" He added, "This is the atrocity of far-left extremists pinpointing targets. This is trash sentiment that needs to disappear." The post sparked a separate wave of criticism.

JK Kim Dong-wook, a Canadian national, had previously drawn controversy during the Starbucks "Tank Day" marketing dispute, when he wrote, "I don't even go there often — why are you making me want to go?"

"The price of the 'Let's go to Starbucks' taunt": Baejae High is considering forfeiting its remaining games in the national high school baseball tournament after its players sparked controversy by chanting the mocking slogan at Gwangju Jeil High.