Choreographer Bae Yun-jung apologizes for alleged profanity at I.O.I concert: 'I must have done it unconsciously'

Choreographer Bae Yun-jung has apologized and addressed allegations of profanity at an I.O.I concert.

A video titled "Bae Yun-jung, hit-song dance machine and expert at making girl groups cry" was posted Tuesday on the YouTube channel "Noppagu Tak Jae-hoon."

In the video, host Tak Jae-hoon brought up a clip from an I.O.I concert that had recently gone viral online, telling Bae, "There's a video that caused controversy — a short that racked up 7 million views." The clip shows Bae rising from her seat to perform the choreography for "Pick Me," and viewers alleged that her lip movements appeared to show her mouthing a profanity.

Bae confirmed the footage was filmed at the I.O.I concert.

Bae created the choreography for "Pick Me," I.O.I's signature song. The clip drew wide attention because she appeared to utter a profanity the moment a camera suddenly turned on her, before launching into the dance.

Tak described the moment, saying she "stood up cursing 'XX' after being suddenly asked to dance at the concert."

Bae initially pushed back. "Would I really have said that with a camera right there? I absolutely do not think I did that," she said, visibly flustered.

But when Tak pressed her — "There's no way a dance alone would get 7 million views" — Bae relented. "No matter how many times I watch the video, it does look like I said that before standing up. I must have done it unconsciously. I think I really need to reflect on this," she said, bowing her head.

The incident prompted renewed online discussion of a past controversy involving Bae. In 2016, she drew criticism during an appearance on the MBC variety show "My Little Television" for making an obscene hand gesture and inappropriate remarks.

At the time, she made the gesture while telling viewers to stop asking for the contact information of cast members from "Produce 101."

She later apologized on social media, writing, "I am so sorry for speaking and acting so thoughtlessly during the broadcast. I tried my best, but I realized broadcasting is not something just anyone can do. Please don't hate me too much."

Bae is the choreographer behind numerous hit routines, including Brown Eyed Girls' "Abracadabra," Kara's "Mister," EXID's "Up & Down" and "Pick Me" from "Produce 101." She remarried in 2019, wedding former soccer coach Seo Gyeong-hwan, who is 11 years her junior, and the couple has a son together.