'Kim Da-hyun's Father' Kim Bong-gon: "Shim Soo-bong's 'Young Lady' and 'Athlete' Expressions Were Upsetting; Hope It Ends Without Wounds" [Direct Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Amidst singer Shim Soo-bong making strong remarks on stage at an event while mentioning junior singer Kim Da-hyun, Kim Bong-gon, the father of Kim Da-hyun and a decorated official, shared his feelings.

On the 21st, Kim Bong-gon, father of singer Kim Da-hyun, told StarNews over the phone regarding the stage at the '2026 Jinan Highland Trot Festival' held on the 20th in the northern area of Myeongisan Mountain, Jinan County, Jeollabuk-do, that "as a parent, I was upset and regretful."

Earlier, Shim Soo-bong took the stage at the festival and said to Kim Da-hyun, "The woman singing in front," adding, "She made my head spin. It seems like she is a young lady who doesn't know what singing is or what life is. Listening to her song was very difficult."

Continuing, he stated, "Please do not send an athlete forward in front of me. I am completely dizzy and feel like I will collapse. Singing is not something to be done lightly," while pointing out, "Music that comforts those who have experienced life's hardships and come to you is not easy."

Following this, controversy arose over Shim Soo-bong's remarks mentioning a junior singer under the age of 17 at an official event.

In response, father Kim Bong-gon also revealed his upset feelings. He said, "Da-hyun discovered the remarks while monitoring her own stage after finishing the event. She held back tears and then burst into tears. It seems to have become a wound. The upsetness appears to be significant."

He continued, "The festival stage was not a competition, was it? It was a place where people in equal positions provided joy for the audience. If it had been a competition, I would have humbly accepted the harsh words. But since the remarks came out unexpectedly and suddenly, we were shocked," while adding, "Teacher Shim Soo-bong is someone Da-hyun has always respected. She even played the piano and sang during concerts."

Kim Bong-gon said, "As a parent, don't you think your child does everything well? But I believe it can be heard differently from other people's perspectives," adding, "Da-hyun tends to sing bright songs appropriate for her teenage years, unlike Teacher Shim Soo-bong. There are things we must learn, but it seems the words were not suitable for an official occasion."

He also revealed, "If problems had been seen based on affection for a junior singer, they could have spoken separately at any time. Young singers have their own expressiveness and natural talents. But Teacher Shim Soo-bong's choice of expressions and vocabulary like 'young lady,' 'life,' and 'athlete' was truly upsetting."

As the controversy grew, Shim Soo-bong eventually apologized through her agency. She said, "It was literally a slip of the tongue. It is true that I had significant stress due to noise at the event venue," while bowing her head and stating, "I did not know exactly who the singer in the preceding slot was, and I absolutely did not say those words to embarrass a specific person. As an adult, it is clear that I said something that hurt a junior singer's heart."

Kim Bong-gon announced that Shim Soo-bong's side contacted them directly to convey their apology. He said, "Teacher Shim Soo-bong's side contacted us and apologized directly. I heard they also issued an official apology. We plan to convey this well to Da-hyun and communicate," adding, "Since she is someone Da-hyun has always respected, she will likely accept it well. I hope it ends without hurting each other."

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*This content was translated by AI.