For many K-drama fans, Jun Ji-hyun is certainly no stranger. She has long been regarded as one of the leading icons of the Hallyu wave, with an influence that extends far beyond the realm of television and film. She built her reputation through a series of нιт projects such as My Sαѕѕy Girl, My Love from the Star, and Legend of the Blue Sea, while also becoming the face of numerous global luxury brands.

Beyond her successful career, her personal life has also drawn significant public attention. After marrying businessman Choi Joon-hyuk, Jun Ji-hyun became the daughter-in-law of a family with strong cultural and financial standing—often simply described as chaebol-level. Notably, her mother-in-law is renowned hanbok designer Lee Jung-woo. Their relationship has been admired by the public, as both represent two generations of accomplished women: one a global entertainment icon, the other a respected figure in traditional fashion.

Meanwhile, Jun Ji-hyun also shares a connection with BTS through fashion—both she and j-hope are currently ambαѕѕadors for the luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton.

However, following BTS’s live performance at Gwanghwamun, a comment made by her mother-in-law about the K-pop superstars sparked major controversy. On the 21st, the designer shared a video of BTS, writing, “An English-speaking leader with kids who still can’t, even after a decade.” She added, “I still love them all,” along with a purple heart and the hashtag #BTS, to show that it is a friendly jab.

While she may have intended the remark to be humorous or harmless, netizens responded with mixed reactions. Some criticized the post, questioning, “Did she really need to post that?” arguing that her comment added fuel to the fire amid an already heated debate about English proficiency among BTS members. Recently, RM faced backlash over alleged “shady” remarks toward other members, particularly due to the controversial lyric, “I’m the only one who can speak English, but that is how we кιℓℓ,” as well as his comment during a show with Zane Lowe: “During the session, the problem was the conversation (with writer-producers) was impossible because they can’t speak English.”

Many fans expressed their opinions, saying: 

- Seeing her make these comments is actually ѕнσ¢кing. Does she even realize she’s adding fuel to the fire, and yet calls herself a supporter?

- I think she’s old enough to understand how harmful these comments are. Even if she meant it as a joke, the criticism toward Namjoon only intensifies while the other six members are being mocked

- Don’t agree with her mocking them like that. Instead of focusing on their high-quality performance, she’s nitpicking their pronunciation?

- I don’t know how good her English is, but this is disrespectful to others

- Mocking their English after everything they’ve achieved globally? Pure disrespect

- This isn’t funny, it’s insensitive and unnecessary

- Why focus on their pronunciation instead of their impact? BTS has done more for global culture than comments like this ever will

- If you call yourself a supporter, maybe start by not tearing them down in public

- This says more about her attitude than their abilities

At the same time, some others noted that while they could accept her comment about the members’ English abilities as an obvious reality, what made them uncomfortable was the fact that she is a well-known designer choosing to bring up such a sensitive topic at a tense moment. In other words, her sense of humor was seen as poorly timed.

Regarding the controversy of BTS speaking English, ARMYs emphasized that no member should be criticized. The members have repeatedly acknowledged that RM plays the primary role in handling English communication for the group, and they have often expressed feeling sorry for leaving that responsibility solely to him. They have also been making efforts to improve their own English sкιℓℓs and support him as much as they can. This progress was clearly visible during the recent Gwanghwamun performance, where more than two members were able to communicate simple messages in English with international fans.