Broadcaster Tak Jae Hoon receives backlash after calling KARA's Nicole an Ahjumma (middle aged woman)

AKP STAFF

www.insight.co.kr

Broadcaster Tak Jae Hoon received backlash by referring to KARA's Nicole as an "Ahjumma" (a Korean term often used to refer to middle-aged women).

On June 21, the YouTube channel 'No Backing Down Tak Jae Hoon' released an episode featuring Nicole as a guest. In this episode, Tak asks Nicole about her recent life and whether she is married. When Nicole says she isn't married, Tak asks if she wants to get married, to which Nicole responds that she is still unsure.

Nicole, who recently made a comeback as a solo artist, showcased her new song and expressed her special affection for her group KARA. During the discussion, Tak Jae Hoon commented on KARA's recent performance, saying, "You guys danced energetically even though it wasn't exciting," to which Nicole retorted, "We were quite cool. It was no joke."

Tak Jae Hoon then made a remark, "You are all old now," which took Nicole by surprise.

Nicole was born in 1991. The eldest members of KARA, Park Gyuri, and Han Seung Yeon, were born in 1988, while Kang Ji Young and Heo Young Ji were born in 1994. On the other hand, Tak Jae Hoon was born in 1968, making him 55 years old this year. The age difference between Nicole and Tak Jae Hoon is 23 years.

Tak Jae Hoon continued, "Don’t you know that new kids are coming up?" and then said, "What are you all doing, Ahjummas gathering together?" Nicole responded, "Ahjumma? If we are Ahjummas then..." leaving the sentence incomplete.

Additionally, the production team of 'No Backing Down Tak Jae Hoon' acknowledged and apologized for a sexual harassment controversy that arose in a previous episode aired on June 21 featuring Cingature member Jiwon and a Japanese adult video actress.

However, another controversy erupted with the video uploaded on the same day the apology was posted, leading some netizens to express their anger. Particularly in communities predominantly consisting of women, netizens commented "If KARA are Ahjummas, then Tak Jae Hoon is practically a walking corpse," "It's disgusting. He shouldn't be on the air," and "That's really rude."