A Complete Summary of the Controversy Over Shim Soo-bong Publicly Targeting Kim Da-hyun! From the Targeted Remarks to the Apology

We summarize the entire controversy at a glance, from Shim Soo-bong’s remarks targeting junior singer Kim Da-hyun on the festival stage to the full text of her apology and the response from Kim Da-hyun’s side.

Do you know the loudest issue among trot fans these days?? 😭 Senior singer Shim Soo-bong (72), who has been in the industry for nearly half a century, caused a stir by singling out and taking aim at junior singer Kim Da-hyun, who is only seventeen years old, on the festival stage. It happened. On top of that, the situation escalated rapidly as an apology was released the very next day after the attack. I’ve compiled everything from the original statement and the full text of the apology to the follow-up reactions all in one place ✨

1. Incident – What happened at the Jinan Plateau Trot Festival

The incident began on September 20th at the 'Jinan Plateau Trot Festival,' a side event of the '2026 Jinan Red Ginseng Festival' held in the northern area of Maisan Mountain in Jinan-gun, Jeonbuk. On this day Kim Da-hyun took the stage first and sang 'Praise Whale', 'I Am Lotto', 'Good Shot!', 'Black Swan', and then went down, and immediately after that, Shim Soo-bong took the stage.

The problem was what came next. After Sim Soo-bong sang the song "The woman who sang in front of me made my head spin," he said, adding, "It seems like a young lady who doesn't know what singing is or what life is." They say he said it to that effect. Following on. "I feel so exhausted just listening to the song," "Please don't send that player out in front of me anymore," "I feel so dizzy I think I'm going to collapse." I hear it even led to remarks like that 😢

2. Spread of Controversy – The Fact That the Target Was a 17-Year-Old Junior

At first, it was unclear who the remarks were directed at, but as the video from the scene spread on YouTube and social media It was revealed that the person who took the stage immediately before was Kim Da-hyun, a trot singer born in 2009, who is 17 years old. . On a public festival stage, and even then, not yet The fact that a senior artist took aim at a junior singer who is a minor As this became known, public opinion reportedly turned sharply negative. Reactions poured in asking, "Was it really necessary to say something like that on a stage at a public festival, not a competition?"

3. Shim Soo-bong’s Official Apology – "I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths"

As the controversy grew, on the following day, the 21st, Sim Soo-bong Quickly released an official apology through the agency I did. Here is a summary of the key points of the apology.

Admitting that he made a slip of the tongue on stage that defied common sense.

Explained that they did not know exactly who the previous singer was and had no intention of shaming anyone.

Nevertheless, he admits that as an adult, it was clearly wrong to have hurt a junior's feelings.

Revealed that they personally conveyed their apologies to Kim Da-hyun and her family.

Mentioned that she teared up upon hearing the story of Kim Da-hyun singing her song 'A Million Roses' while playing the piano at a concert.

Apology to fan clubs, event organizers, and festival attendees as well

It is also separately emphasized that the Jinan Red Ginseng Festival itself is unrelated to this controversy.

4. Kim Da-hyun's Father & Her Reaction

Kim Da-hyun's father, Kim Bong-gon, revealed in a broadcast interview that his daughter cried profusely after being deeply shocked by the monitoring footage she saw while traveling. She conveyed this. She explained that the hurt was even greater because she had respected Shim Soo-bong so much that she would even sing her signature songs at concerts. However, she also expressed her stance, stating, "I would have accepted it if it had been a legitimate criticism, but the evaluation method presented on a festival stage where I interact with the audience, rather than a competition, is regrettable."

Kim Da-hyun herself also posted a message on Instagram on the 21st. While conveying that she received an apology and comfort through a phone call with Shim Soo-bong, she addressed the fans. "You must have been upset and worried, but I will pull myself together, so please don't worry and let's meet with a bright smile." is a message They left 🥹

5. Controversy over secondary victimization continuing even after the apology

Even after the apology was issued, the problem wasn't completely over. Rather, alongside comments supporting Kim Da-hyun in the comment section of the full video of her performance at the festival, malicious comments evaluating her appearance or mocking her singing ability were also posted, leading to criticism that this constitutes secondary victimization. This is emerging. There are even reactions asking, "Dahyun is the victim, so why are you inflicting secondary harm on her?" As a result, concerns about excessive online criticism are growing, separate from the original controversy.

💡 Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q. When and where did Shim Soo-bong take a jab at Kim Da-hyun?

A. This is a remark made on the stage of the 'Jinan Plateau Trot Festival' held in Jinan-gun, Jeonbuk on September 20, 2026.

Q. Did Sim Soo-bong apologize?

A. Yes, it was reported that on the following day, September 21st, they released an official apology through their agency and also apologized to Kim Da-hyun directly over the phone.

Q. What was Kim Da-hyun's own reaction?

A. On Instagram, she shared the fact that she received an apology from Shim Soo-bong over the phone and left a message for fans not to worry.

Q. Is it also related to the Jinan Red Ginseng Festival?

A. This controversy occurred at the Trot Festival, a side event of the festival, and Sim Soo-bong separately stated that it is unrelated to the Jinan Red Ginseng Festival itself, which is a local festival hosted by farmers.