iKON member under fire for backing Kitano Takeshi

Controversial Japanese filmmaker Kitano Takeshi. Yonhap

By Dong Sun-hwa

Koo Jun-hoe, from K-pop act iKON, is in the hot seat for backing anti-Korean Japanese filmmaker Kitano Takeshi on his Instagram Monday.

The singer, whose stage name is Ju-ne, posted a photo with Takeshi's autograph on it and wrote in Japanese: "I appreciate Takeshi ― please come to iKON's concert."

Koo Jun-hoe of iKON. Capture from iKON's official Twitter

The filmmaker depicted Korea and China as "countries that aim to beguile Japan of money by posing problems of history distortion in Japanese history textbooks and the issue of the Senkaku Islands," in a book he wrote with right-wing Japanese politician Ishihara Shintaro in the early 2000s. The Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyutai Islands in Chinese, are being counterclaimed by Beijing.

Takeshi even criticized those who enjoy Korean dramas, saying "Would it be right to watch dramas of a country that robbed Dokdo?" on a Japanese politics talk show.

Many fans demanded that Koo delete the content but he refused, writing: "Please stop bossing me around ― I like him as an artist. Do I even have to erase such a thing?"

But Koo relented a day later, apologizing and deleting the controversial photo.

"I am sorry for causing anxiety to fans, who have been supporting and loving me," he said in his apology. "I did not recognize their words as advice at first and thought of such words lightly. I am belatedly ashamed of myself and regret what I did. I will take this chance to grow up into a more mature and discreet person."

Koo debuted as a member of iKON in 2015 and was propelled to fame thanks to several hits including "LOVE SCENARIO." The group is set to return on Oct.1 with a new album, "New Kids: The Final."

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