Jo Woochan, the main rapper of co-ed group ALLDAY PROJECT, found himself at the center of an online debate just a few months after his debut. This comes after he responded to a fan’s dating proposal and addressed speculation about his sexuality.
The incident happened more recently and drew both criticism and support from netizens. Currently, the 20-year-old is being cancelled and labelled as ‘homophobic.’
More recently, he interacted with fans via livestream when a male fan repeatedly asked him out, saying, “Hyung, let’s date.”
Woochan responded politely but firmly: “But you are my hyung, how could you even think about dating me?” He added, “I’m not like that…no, I’m not, it won’t work.”
The phrase “I’m not like that” was interpreted by some as dismissive of same-sex relationships. The exchange quickly went viral, and the viral clip trending on X has garnered over 15 million impressions.
Critics accused him of insensitivity toward the LGBTQ+ community, while supporters insisted his comment was misinterpreted and intended only as a polite refusal. Netizens are mostly offended, as evident from the comments under the viral post, which include
“Dude can’t even take a lighthearted joke without getting defensive.”
“A male idol not feeding into the LGBTQ+? Now that’s illegal.”
“Yeah, I am not attracted to him anymore.”
“I wish more idols could openly speak about what they like without getting cancelled like this.”
“Saying ‘I am not like that’ with a disgusting tone is plain rude.”
Fans also pointed out a likely misunderstanding due to the nuances of the Korean language. In Korean, “hyung” is a term a younger male uses to address an older male. Some viewers suggested Woochan may have gotten shocked after getting a dating proposal from someone older.
Woochan, a former contestant on Show Me the Money 6 and ex-BigHit Music trainee, is known for his focus on intense rap and lyrical depth.
Meanwhile, ALLDAY PROJECT, THEBLACKLABEL’s co-ed group produced by Teddy, debuted in June, and quickly achieved major success. Their debut single, FAMOUS, topped domestic charts including Melon’s TOP 100, while its music video trended globally on YouTube.
Their double title tracks, FAMOUS and WICKED, blended electronic pop and Brazilian funk. Within days, they earned a Perfect All-Kill (PAK), charted on Billboard’s Global 200, and won on shows like M Countdown.
