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Veteran South Korean singer Shim Soo-bong apologized Sunday for publicly criticizing teenage singer Kim Da-hyun during a trot music festival a day earlier, calling her remarks a verbal misstep.
Festival Comments Draw Criticism
The controversy began Saturday at the 2026 Jinan Highland Trot Festival in Jinan County, North Jeolla province. After Kim performed, Shim took the stage and described the preceding singer as a young woman who seemed not to understand music or life. She also asked organizers not to schedule that performer immediately before her and argued that singing requires life experience and hardship.
Video of the remarks spread online Sunday, prompting criticism that Shim, 71, had gone too far in publicly rebuking a 17-year-old junior performer. Critics also objected to the terms she used to refer to the younger singer.
Apology to Kim and Her Family
In a statement, Shim acknowledged that she had spoken out of turn. She said she had long-standing concerns about popular music and had been stressed by noise at the venue, but conceded there was no excuse for making comments at a festival that crossed the bounds of common sense.
Shim said she did not know the performer before her was Kim and had not intended to humiliate anyone in particular. Still, she said it was clearly wrong for her, as an elder in the industry, to say something that could hurt a younger singer.
Shim conveyed an apology directly to Kim and her family, and a representative for Kim confirmed that Shim had called to apologize. Shim also expressed regret to Kim’s fans, festival organizers and the audience. She said Kim’s father had told her that the teenager had performed Shim’s song “Million Roses” while playing the piano.
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