Comedian and DJ Kim Shin Young has issued an apology regarding her comments about the virtual idol group PLAVE.

During the opening segment of her broadcast, Kim Shin Young stated, "On the Sunday, February 16th corner, the remarks I made about the virtual group PLAVE were not fair or objective, according to many opinions. I humbly accept all of these views. I sincerely apologize to the artists and fans who were hurt by my words."

She continued, "Through this incident, I have once again realized the weight of every word I speak and the responsibility I bear as a DJ. Moving forward, I will be more cautious. I will also take this opportunity to learn more about PLAVE, who have worked hard to pave their own path, and support them along the way."

Kim Shin Young further admitted, "I failed to recognize the changing trends. PLAVE has been working hard all this time, but my words went beyond ignorance—they were disrespectful. I was extremely rude. Fans who support them should have been able to enjoy a pleasant weekend, yet my words ruined that. I deeply feel the weight and responsibility of my remarks." Bowing her head in apology, she added, "Once again, I sincerely apologize. I will study and learn more to ensure this does not happen again."

The controversy arose from the February 16th broadcast of Kim Shin Young's radio show, where she made comments after listening to PLAVE’s song. She remarked, "I can’t get used to this," and added, "To be honest, this group wouldn’t be able to appear on our show. It would be too disorienting. Where do you even look when they’re not physically there?" She then hesitated, saying, "We do need to accept this kind of culture, but personally, I’m still not quite there yet..." These statements sparked criticism for being dismissive of virtual idols.

Fans strongly criticized Kim Shin Young for making disrespectful remarks toward PLAVE, while some defended her, arguing that the backlash was an overreaction.