KOREA: According to PINKVILLA, former ZE:A member Hwang Kwanghee has once again addressed a past etiquette mistake involving actor Jung Hae In—this time with a sincere, face-to-face apology.
The moment occurred on a recent episode of Good Day, a variety show hosted by BIGBANG’s G-Dragon featuring top celebrities.
First meeting
It marked the first meeting between Kwanghee and Jung Hae In, and as per Korean etiquette, they initially spoke formally despite being the same age. However, Kwanghee soon hesitantly brought up a past incident, nervously asking if Jung had been offended by something he said in a previous broadcast.
The issue stemmed from an earlier episode of Pinggyego, where Kwanghee appeared alongside his longtime friend and fellow ZE:A member, Im Siwan.
During their conversation, Kwanghee joked about Siwan travelling with Jung Hae In but mistakenly omitted the proper honorifics when mentioning his name—a cultural misstep in Korea.
Public apology
Realising his mistake, Kwanghee later issued a public apology via Instagram, clarifying that no disrespect was intended.
Wanting to address it again on Good Day, Kwanghee sought Jung’s reassurance. To his relief, Jung responded kindly, saying he appreciated the mention and had no hard feelings. He also shared that Im Siwan had already explained the situation.
Kwanghee’s visible relief turned into a smile, and the atmosphere lightened even more when Im Siwan made a surprise entrance. Encouraging Kwanghee to drop the formal speech, Im tried to ease the tension. However, Kwanghee still seemed hesitant, possibly out of habit or lingering nerves.
The episode, which aired on Feb 23, was part of a special gathering of celebrities born in 1988, including G-Dragon, actor Kim Soo Hyun, and singer Lee Soo Hyun.