[Sportschosun Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Former Rebuilding Korea Party (RKP) leader Cho Kuk has spoken directly for the first time about the controversy over the phrase 'museunno' involving the girl group RESCENE, expressing regret to the group and its fans.
On the 12th, Cho posted a lengthy message on his social media account, saying that his criticism of the use of the sentence-ending particle 'no' was meant to highlight the dangers of Ilbe Storehouse (Ilbe) culture, which has mocked democracy and human rights and fueled hatred. He explained that he was raising concerns about an Ilbe-style expression that may look similar to the Gyeongsang dialect but is clearly different.
He added, "However, I learned that my remarks were being taken as criticism of RESCENE," and said, "I feel heavy-hearted."
Cho stressed, "Let me be clear. I have never mentioned or targeted RESCENE in any of my posts, and I have never said that RESCENE is Ilbe."
He also said, "To be honest, I know very little about idol groups, including RESCENE," and added, "I am deeply sorry and disappointed that my post was used in a way that caused hurt to RESCENE and its fans."
He went on to say, "Listening to my daughter and young party staff members made me reflect on the need to pay closer attention to the language and culture of younger generations, and the context in which they are used." He added, "I will continue to fight against anti-human rights and anti-humanity Ilbe culture, but I will also make greater efforts to understand the language and culture of future generations."
Finally, Cho concluded his post by saying, "I applaud RESCENE's hard work and achievements. I sincerely hope they receive even more love on a bigger stage in the future." He ended with the phrase, "RESCENE, yay!"
The controversy began after RESCENE member Won-i used the expression "museunno" in self-produced content, prompting some online communities to criticize it as an Ilbe-style term. The dispute later spread into politics after Cho expressed a critical view of the use of the sentence-ending particle 'no' in declarative statements.
In response, Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok argued that it was simply "an idol from Geoje using her hometown dialect." Geoje City, which had appointed RESCENE as a promotional ambassador, also issued an official statement on social media, saying that "museunno" is a dialect and colloquial expression commonly used in the Gyeongnam region, and that interpreting it as a phrase with a specific political intent is inappropriate.
Meanwhile, RESCENE is a five-member girl group that debuted in 2024, and its latest song, "LOVE ATTACK," has recently surged on music charts, drawing attention. The group also serves as promotional ambassadors for Geoje City, Gyeongju, Suwon-si, and Goyang City.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
