"Ain't no way": Fans raise concerns about NCT's Yuta being friends with problematic and anti-Korean YouTuber, Rhee Khun

The controversial friendship that NCT's Yuta shares with anti-Korean and misogynistic YouTuber Rhee Khun recently resurfaced on the internet. Their friendship was first revealed in 2020 when Yuta said in a live broadcast that the two were good friends and hung out quite often.

Rhee Khun also showcased his support for Yuta prior to this by posting about NCT 127's Fire Truck on his Instagram.

Their friendship received a new update in October 2022 when a fan page of GOT7's Mark Tuan posted about seeing NCT’s Yuta at a cafe with Rhee Khun, rekindling fans' concerns about the idol and his ideals. Fans have never been supportive of this friendship due to Rhee Khun's list of controversies.

The content creator not only allegedly showcased himself as a Japanese nationalist, but also displayed many misogynistic and anti-Korean practices through the content he posted on his YouTube channel.

Fans express mixed reactions about the resurfacing of NCT's Yuta and Rhee Khun's friendship

Following the initial reveal of Yuta's friendship with Rhee Khun, many fans were both angered and concerned about the same, given the impressions it conveys about NCT's Yuta. During his 2020 live broadcast, Yuta confessed:

These days I'm close to, not sure if you know him, he's a YouTuber called Rhee Khun. I've been close with him lately. We met up yesterday too.

While there haven't been instances to prove that the idol shares the misogynistic and anti-Korean ideals that Rhee Khun executes, their friendship naturally leaves many wondering about the same.

The Mark Tuan fan page that saw Yuta and Rhee Khun at a cafe at the end of last year, documented the experience on Twitter:

"Everyone, we met Yuta from NCT. Confused like why did I realize that it was Yuta so late? Well, he's been sitting for a very long time. This and his friend are sitting and eating without caring. Until he asked to move the table to sit in the end and here he looked and secretly talked about why Koreans drink coffee in the evening. It's like ahh, Yuta!!!"

While the shred of evidence the fan had to prove that he was in fact hanging out with Rhee Khun is minimal, the legitimacy of the same wouldn't be surprising.

The two not only share a long history of friendship, but also showcase quite a close-knit relationship, given that Rhee Khun used to be one of the only nine people NCT's Yuta followed on Instagram.

In light of the same, netizens brought up several instances where Rhee Khun was evidently problematic, offensive, and controversial. One of his Instagram posts had him posing with a flag that read,

"Moon Jae-in (former president of Korea) ruined the economy that Park Guenhye (preceding president of Korea) saved!"

The caption declared that he was attending a protest regarding the same. This sparked many debates about the YouTuber being anti-Korean. Additionally, he also used to upload many s*xualized and misogynistic videos on YouTube which had his label mates, f(x)'s Sulli and SHINee's Jonghyun, as click-baits.

However, there were many defenses regarding this issue. Both Rhee Khun's sister DJ Gatti and Khun himself stood against the allegations raised against him, saying that his intentions were mistranslated and taken out of context. Seven of the news outlets that portrayed Rhee Khun in a negative light or directed these allegations towards him were sued and reported by his family, and he won all the lawsuits.

With the involvement of NCT's Yuta, more and more information with regard to Rhee Khun's behavior surfaced on the internet, proving him rather innocent as opposed to the allegations made. Following the rising crisis of the controversy, SM Entertainment has taken down the broadcast where NCT's Yuta confessed his friendship with Rhee Khun. Yuta has also unfollowed him on Instagram.

Some fans of NCT's Yuta called out the idol for his associations with the controversial YouTuber.

In this context, many have been re-evaluating Yuta's ideals and values. However, there are also people who've been defending the idol. They stated that the idol might not have been fully aware of Rhee Khun's past actions and ideologies. Additionally, fans also expressed how Yuta's association with the YouTuber doesn't necessarily translate to how they share those ideals.

As debates on the issue of the problematic relationship between NCT's Yuta and Rhee Khun continue, fans have grown concerned about how it will impact the idol's image.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Upasya Bhowal