{"id":780,"date":"2025-10-02T04:14:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:14:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/?p=780"},"modified":"2025-10-02T04:14:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:14:36","slug":"siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Siwon Faces Backlash Again Over Islamophobic Post"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Super Junior member <strong>Choi Siwon<\/strong> is currently under fire after sharing an Instagram story that many have labelled hateful and \u201cracist.\u201d The post featured a video claiming that \u201cNigerian Christians refuse to give up their faith after Islamists burned their church to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The post quickly triggered backlash from fans and netizens. Many accused Siwon of promoting Islamophobia and selectively framing religious violence in a way that harms Muslim communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People also pointed out a glaring hypocrisy: why did Siwon remain silent on other global crises, such as attacks on Palestinian churches, when he chose to spotlight this one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-1b13d85d wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-27.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"uag-image-781\" width=\"706\" height=\"463\" title=\"Screenshot (27)\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/#Past_Controversies_of_Super_Juniors_Choi_Siwon\" title=\"Past Controversies of Super Junior&#8217;s Choi Siwon\">Past Controversies of Super Junior&#8217;s Choi Siwon<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/#The_Apology_That_Backfired\" title=\"The Apology That Backfired\">The Apology That Backfired<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/#Internal_Strains_Unfollowed_by_Fellow_Members\" title=\"Internal Strains: Unfollowed by Fellow Members\">Internal Strains: Unfollowed by Fellow Members<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/#What_This_Means_for_K-Pop_and_Idol_Responsibility\" title=\"What This Means for K-Pop and Idol Responsibility\">What This Means for K-Pop and Idol Responsibility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/blog\/siwon-faces-backlash-again-over-islamophobic-post\/#Looking_Ahead\" title=\"Looking Ahead\">Looking Ahead<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Past_Controversies_of_Super_Juniors_Choi_Siwon\"><\/span>Past Controversies of Super Junior&#8217;s Choi Siwon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not the first time Siwon\u2019s social media has drawn heated criticism. Earlier, he faced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/life\/entertainment\/wonder-girls-sunye-super-juniors-choi-si-won-face-backlash-after-posting-tributes-to-charlie-kirk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">backlash for posting a tribute to <strong>Charlie Kirk<\/strong>,<\/a> a political figure known for conservative and controversial views. That incident had already prompted fans to question whether his posts were personal or political statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some observers suggest that the two events may not be isolated missteps, but rather signs of a pattern: Siwon frequently expresses strong religious and political sentiments online. In the current climate, those actions carry more weight\u2014especially for public figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-dc4964b8\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Apology_That_Backfired\"><\/span>The Apology That Backfired<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In response to the criticism, Siwon posted an apology on a fan platform. He explained that if one watched the video without context, it could be misunderstood. He insisted that he had no intention to incite religious hatred and emphasized that he does not support violence in the name of any faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also offered some statistics, claiming that in Nigeria in 2025, around 7,000 Christians were killed and another 7,000 kidnapped, citing attacks by groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The apology did not calm many critics. Netizens called it hypocritical, pointing out that he still had not addressed other conflicts with similar religious dimensions. Many saw the explanation as selective and incomplete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calls for his removal from Super Junior intensified. A petition on Change.org, demanding his exit, has collected thousands of signatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-cf367cd8\"><h3 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Internal_Strains_Unfollowed_by_Fellow_Members\"><\/span>Internal Strains: Unfollowed by Fellow Members<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tensions deepened when fans noticed that other members of Super Junior, including <strong>Heechul<\/strong> and <strong>Leeteuk<\/strong>, unfollowed Siwon on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was also a viral airport video showing Leeteuk walking past Siwon without acknowledgment. Some fans saw it as a deliberate snub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While no official statement from SM Entertainment or Super Junior has confirmed internal discord, these social media moves added fuel to speculation that Siwon could be isolated within the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-91de914d\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_This_Means_for_K-Pop_and_Idol_Responsibility\"><\/span>What This Means for K-Pop and Idol Responsibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Idols often walk a tightrope in the public eye. Fans expect them to be relatable and genuine. But in today\u2019s highly polarized climate, every public post is scrutinized. Views on religion, politics, or social issues can rapidly become flashpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because K-pop reaches diverse audiences worldwide, many believe idols should maintain political neutrality to avoid alienating segments of their fan base. Many critics argue that Siwon overstepped that line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, others defend his right to personal expression. They argue that stigmatizing a single post as hate speech is risky, especially if he genuinely meant to highlight suffering in places that receive little media coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The challenge is that intent and interpretation sometimes diverge. Even if Siwon\u2019s heart was in a personal place, his status as a public figure forces him into debates much bigger than himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-ad5f592d\"><h2 class=\"uagb-heading-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Looking_Ahead\"><\/span>Looking Ahead<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At this time, no official response or public statement has been issued by SM Entertainment. Many fans await whether the agency will address the issue. Observers will also watch whether other Super Junior members step in publicly, either to support or distance themselves from Siwon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It remains to be seen how Siwon\u2019s image will recover or shift after this chain of controversies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to stay informed about future developments in K-pop and K-drama? Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/saranghero.com\/\" title=\"\">Saranghero<\/a> for the latest news, updates, and insider stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Super Junior member Choi Siwon is currently under fire after sharing an Instagram story that many have labelled hateful and 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Junior member Choi Siwon is currently under fire after sharing an Instagram story that many have labelled hateful and 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