Web baseball show drops Baejae High School episode amid May 18 mockery controversy

Web entertainment program "Bulkkot Yagu 2," a YouTube baseball variety show, has decided not to air its episode featuring Baejae High School, which is embroiled in controversy over mockery of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

Studio C1 said Tuesday that its production team "took the recent issues surrounding Baejae High School very seriously" and decided to cancel the episode that had been scheduled to air July 6.

The game between the "Bulkkot Fighters" and Baejae High School was played at Gocheok Sky Dome on June 7, with footage set to be released July 6 through Studio C1's YouTube channel.

The broadcast was ultimately scrapped after Baejae High School players sparked outrage by mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

During a first-round game against Gwangju Jeil High School at Seoul's Mokdong Baseball Stadium on June 29, Baejae High School baseball players performed a group chant of "Let's go to Starbucks" while dancing in unison and also used the phrase "Tank Day" — remarks widely interpreted as regional slurs. The chants are seen as a reference to a conservative backlash in which some people publicly certified their Starbucks purchases after the coffee chain became embroiled in a "May 18 mockery" controversy over its "Tank Day" promotion.

The May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement was a civic uprising in which Gwangju residents resisted the seizure of power by Chun Doo-hwan and the new military junta, who staged the Dec. 12, 1979 military coup and then expanded emergency martial law nationwide on May 17, 1980, launching an insurrection to seize control of the government. Critics say the mockery of a tragic event in which many civilians lost their lives shows how far-right sentiment spreading among teenagers has eroded basic human decency. Others have criticized the players' ignorance — using the freedom of expression won through the democratization movement to mock that very movement — and their lack of basic historical knowledge. The coaches, manager and other adults present who failed to stop the behavior have also drawn sharp condemnation.

Baejae High School issued an official apology and pledged follow-up measures, then released a second apology, but public sentiment remains cold. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Baejae High School principal Lee Hyo-jun conveyed his wish to visit Gwangju Jeil High School in person to apologize, and the school is also carefully considering forfeiting its remaining games as a gesture of remorse.