Actor Byun Yo Han is facing online criticism after publicly reacting to WINNER member Song Mino’s apology letter with three heart emojis, a gesture some netizens called tone-deaf given the seriousness of Mino’s military service conviction.
According to Koreaboo’s report, the backlash followed Song Mino’s handwritten apology, posted to his social media on October 9. The apology came days after the rapper received a one-year prison sentence with two years’ probation at his first trial on October 1 for violating military service laws.
Byun Yo Han liked the apology post and left three heart emojis in the comments, offering no further explanation for the gesture.
The reaction drew swift pushback. Netizens questioned the choice with comments like “Why three hearts on an apology?” and “Keep friendships private,” asking whether it was appropriate to publicly post hearts on a message apologizing for military service misconduct. Koreaboo notes that since Byun did not explain the meaning of the comment, it is difficult to conclude the hearts were meant to support Song’s violation itself.
The two have been friends for more than ten years. A birthday party photo Byun posted on social media in December 2015 includes Song Mino, underscoring how long the friendship goes back.
What began as a longtime friend’s brief show of support has become a subject of debate, overlapping with the ongoing controversy around Mino’s case. No official statement was available from Byun Yo Han’s side at the time of reporting.
