Boynextdoor member apologizes for calling Lee Kwang-soo's fan engagement 'customer acquisition'

Boynextdoor member Myung Jae-hyun has apologized after comments he made praising actor Lee Kwang-soo's fan engagement sparked a backlash. Though he intended the remarks as a compliment, critics said his choice of words — comparing fans to customers — was inappropriate.

Myung addressed the controversy Wednesday during a live broadcast on Weverse, a fan community platform. "I thought Lee Kwang-soo's fan communication was admirable, and I meant that I respected him and wanted to learn from him," he said. "But there was a mistake in how I put that into words."

He added that he had hesitated to bring up the subject out of concern that his remarks might cause trouble for his sunbae Lee, and pledged to "be more careful and mindful going forward."

The controversy began Tuesday when Myung brought up Bubble, a paid fan-messaging platform, during a separate broadcast.

He said he had been browsing Bubble subscriptions and came across the name of fellow Boynextdoor member Taesan. "I was trying to learn a thing or two from Lee Kwang-soo, and then Taesan's name popped up," he said.

Myung then marveled at Lee's ability to connect with fans on the platform, saying his "customer acquisition ability is on another level — it's a genuine talent." He also noted that he himself found it difficult to use such fan-messaging platforms because he did not think of fans as customers.

Although the remarks were meant to praise Lee's rapport with fans, some online users took issue with the phrase "customer acquisition," arguing it framed fan interaction as a revenue-generating activity and could make Lee appear to be exploiting his relationship with fans for financial gain.

However, some pushed back against the criticism, saying Myung's word choice was simply poor and that "there is no need to distort his intentions and criticize him excessively."

Meanwhile, Lee Kwang-soo has been generating buzz since joining Bubble on Oct. 1, drawing attention for his frequent messages and distinctive sense of humor.