Singer Lim Young Woong has broken his silence 21 days after his controversy.

On December 27, Lim Young Woong held his solo concert, 'Lim Young Woong Recital (RE:CITAL)' at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. This marked his first public appearance since the controversy involving his direct message (DM) responses, drawing significant attention.

Lim Young Woong, who had remained silent about the DM controversy until now, addressed the audience during the concert, saying, "I am sorry for causing you concern and worry." He expressed his apology sincerely to his fans.

He continued, "I am someone who sings. My purpose is to bring joy, comfort, and happiness through my music," and promised to return with a more improved self. The audience responded with loud applause and cheers, showing their unwavering support.

The controversy began on December 7 when Lim Young Woong posted a photo on social media with the caption, "Happy birthday to my Siwol," celebrating his pet dog's birthday.

However, the post coincided with a candlelight protest demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, as well as the National Assembly’s vote on an impeachment motion against the president. This timing led to criticism online from some netizens who felt it was insensitive to the gravity of the political situation.

The issue escalated when a netizen shared a private DM exchange with Lim Young Woong on an online community. According to the shared screenshots, the netizen criticized Lim Young Woong for posting about his dog during a politically charged moment, writing, "What are you doing at a time like this?" Lim reportedly replied tersely with, "What?"

The netizen responded, "While the entire nation is uniting over the impeachment of a president who declared martial law unconstitutionally, I’m not asking you to speak out, but your indifference is shocking. Isn’t your main audience the demographic affected by the last martial law?" Lim Young Woong replied, "Am I a politician? Why should I speak out?"

As the controversy grew, Lim Young Woong and his agency, Mulgogi Music, remained silent for 20 days, offering no statement until Lim Young Woong's concert.

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