[Updated with Official Apology] WINNER’s Nam Tae Hyun Sparks Criticism for Speaking Informally Toward Fans

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WINNER member Nam Tae Hyun has been caught up in a bit of a controversy after sparking criticism for shouting informally at fans during a recent event. This past November 22, the members of WINNER attended the ‘GS & Concert 2014’ that took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, where they performed “Empty” and a number of other songs for fans. During the concert, in between songs, the group’s leader, Kang Seung Yoon started off talking by first greeting the crowd. However, when fans did not quiet down, member Nam Tae Hyun yelled out, “He’s talking right now!” in informal speech, causing Kang Seung Yoon to hesitate before continuing on. Following the end of the concert, videos of Nam Tae Hyun yelling informally at fans made its rounds on various online communities, quickly becoming a hot topic. After seeing the videos, netizens began to pour out criticism toward the WINNER member, making comments such as, “Nam Tae Hyun has no manners,” and “That’s too much, there were other fans there too,” among other negative responses. However, there were also those who came to his defense, saying, “It wasn’t a big deal at the scene,” and “He was expressing it with friendly intentions.” As there were rumors surrounding Nam Tae Hyun’s past in regard to an alleged assault case, being an ‘iljin’ (bully), and being forced to transfer schools, many have not been reacting positively to this incident. Watch the video for yourself (0:48) and tell us your thoughts: Source (1) Update: Following the reports of this controversy, Nam Tae Hyun has stepped forward to offer an official apology. On November 24, Nam Tae Hyun expressed through YG Entertainment, "I apologize for the incident that occurred at the concert this past Saturday. At the time, I had been joking around with the fans on stage and comfortably greeted them. However, I am very sorry to those who heard and were offended. It was not a situation for me to be angry. I had only wanted the fans to think comfortably of me, but my use of informal speech has become a problem. I sincerely apologize for that. I did not think it through. Through this incident, I have realized how important each and every one of my words are. I will be more careful in the future." Source (2)

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