[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Girl group Lisenne, which had been riding a wave of success and was hailed as “the miracle of a small-label group,” has been embroiled in controversy surrounding remarks made by member Won-i ahead of their comeback. This is the first negative issue the group has faced since rising to prominence as a hot newcomer—first by generating buzz with their self-produced YouTube variety content and then by making a comeback on the music charts—so all eyes are on how they will overcome this controversy and maintain their momentum.

Recently, heated debates have been raging online over member Won-i’s remark, “It’s scary,” which appeared in Lysenne’s self-produced content. Won-i is originally from Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. In the video, while visiting Japanese member Minami’s family home, the production crew first said, “It’s scary, isn’t it?” to which Won-i responded, “It’s scary, isn’t it? Even the lighting is scary.” They were discussing the lighting because the interior of Minami’s family home was dark.
The controversy was sparked when a producer from MBC Gyeongnam posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “I watched a well-received YouTube clip where a female idol and a producer were happily exchanging ‘no-no’s with each other, and it made me very, very upset.” The PD later posted an additional comment stating, “It’s unfortunate that even a young man native to Geoje can’t distinguish between the dialectal ‘no’ and the Ilbe-style ‘no’ when using the word.”
Ilbe (Daily Best) is classified as a far-right online community. It is known that members of this community append “no” to the end of certain words or sentences to disparage the late former President Roh Moo-hyun. After the MBC Gyeongnam producer’s X post went viral, online discussions surrounding Won-i’s remarks were marked by a clash between those who pointed out that it was an “Ilbe-style” expression and those who countered that the Geoje-born idol was simply speaking in her usual Gyeongsang Province dialect. The controversy intensified as even political figures began to publicly voice their opinions.

◇Unexpected Controversy Ahead of Their Comeback
Lissene is a rookie girl group that has shown the steepest growth trajectory in the K-pop market recently. They have raised their public profile through their original content. Interest in the group and their music grew rapidly as videos of Won-i speaking the Geoje dialect and Minami performing a “gyaru” concept skit went viral across various online communities and short-form video platforms.
Their YouTube channel, titled “Hello, I’m Won-i. Nice to Meet You” (Anwonjalbu), recently surpassed 1.2 million subscribers, placing them at the center of attention. Amid this, their song “LOVE ATTACK,” released in August 2024, successfully climbed back up the charts on major music platforms including Melon, earning praise as “a miracle for a small-to-medium-sized group.” The members have expanded their influence by being successively appointed as promotional ambassadors for their hometowns and selected as advertising models.
Lissene is set to release a special single on the 8th featuring a remake of KARA’s “Pretty Girl” and kick off their comeback activities. With their comeback just around the corner, Lissene has been caught up in an unexpected controversy, and attention from both inside and outside the industry is focused on whether they can overcome this issue and continue their upward momentum.

As of the 7th, neither their agency, The Muse Entertainment, nor Won-i has issued an official statement regarding this controversy. The National Institute of the Korean Language recently stated in an online Q&A that “'-no' is a final particle used to express doubt in the Gyeongsang dialect,” but added, “It is difficult to make a definitive conclusion as there may be varying opinions among scholars regarding its actual usage and interpretation.”
Pop culture critic Kim Heon-sik said in a phone interview with Edaily that day, “The fact that even the political sphere has reacted is proof that Lisenne’s influence has grown,” adding, “Social interest has increased because her impact on the younger generation has grown.” He continued, “It is not desirable to place the blame for this controversy solely on Lisenne,” adding, “Rather than labeling Lisenne as an ‘Ilbe’ user, we need to view this as an opportunity for the younger generation to reevaluate the meaning of the expression.”
However, critic Kim noted, “K-pop is no longer a genre that pursues profit alone; it is a genre that must also consider social responsibility and values,” adding, “Since idols have a significant influence on the public, it is necessary for them to take a moral stance.” He went on to express the view that “rather than an apology admitting fault, it would be preferable to issue a message along the lines of, ‘We will be more careful in the future regarding expressions that could be misinterpreted as hate speech.’”