Sim Soo Bong apologizes to Kim Da-hyun, offers to gift her a song

Singer Sim Soo Bong has reportedly made a direct phone call to apologize to junior singer Kim Da-hyun after expressing discomfort with her during a public performance. Sim Soo Bong expressed her intention to provide future assistance to Kim and even offered to gift her a song she personally wrote and composed. This has shifted the sharp controversy that began on a public stage into a new phase through direct dialogue and apologies between the senior and junior artists.

Kim Bong-gon, the father of Kim Da-hyun, shared the details of the phone call with Sim's side through a YouTube video released on the 22nd. According to Kim, Sim's husband contacted the family around 10 PM the previous night to convey apologies and comfort to Kim Da-hyun and her family, after which a direct call took place between Sim and Kim. It is reported that Sim expressed her apologies several times during the call and engaged in a lengthy conversation.

Sim reportedly apologized to Kim, stating she did not realize the singer was so young and felt sorry for having caused her hurt. She expressed gratitude, mentioning that Kim had performed her signature song "One Million Roses" at a concert, and stated her intention to help Kim in any way she can in the future. According to Kim Bong-gon, Sim even conveyed her desire to personally give Kim a song she wrote and composed if necessary.

The atmosphere has changed significantly, as the situation that began with public criticism has evolved into an expression of support for a junior artist. Kim noted that Kim Da-hyun appeared nervous during the call and even wiped away tears. However, it was reported that Kim's expression was relatively bright when she went to school the following day. Kim Bong-gon also appeared to focus on preventing further conflict by treating Sim's remarks as a momentary slip of the tongue rather than an intentional attack.

The controversy originated at the "2026 Jinan Highland Trot Festival" held in Jinan, Jeonbuk State, on the 20th. On that stage, Sim mentioned Kim, who had performed earlier, making remarks to the effect of, "She seems like a young lady who doesn't even know what singing or life is," and was also reported to have requested that Kim not be placed ahead of her own performance sequence. The impact was significant, given that these were public remarks made between a representative veteran singer and a 17-year-old junior.

The weight of the remarks was felt even more heavily because Sim is a figure who has established a unique musical status in the history of Korean popular music. As a veteran singer who has long resonated with the public through songs like "Men Are Ships, Women Are Harbors" and "One Million Roses," her public expression of discomfort toward a junior expanded the discussion beyond a simple concert mishap into issues of musical perception and stage culture between generations.

As the controversy grew, Sim released an official apology the following day, defining her remarks as a "literal slip of the tongue." While explaining that she was under considerable stress due to noise at the event site, she admitted it was her fault for saying something that deviated from common sense on a festival stage. She apologized to Kim, her family, the fan club, and the event organizers, explaining that she had no intention of publicly humiliating any specific person.

Kim also seems to be accepting the apology. Kim told fans not to worry, saying, "We had a direct phone call, and the teacher personally offered her apologies, encouragement, and warm comfort."

As a result, this incident appears to be moving from an emotional clash triggered by public remarks to a stage of reconciliation through direct communication between the parties involved.

Above all, the fact that Sim went beyond a simple expression of regret to mention musical assistance for Kim draws further interest to the future development of this incident. There remains the possibility that these two individuals might instead use this occasion to redefine their relationship as musical senior and junior. Attention is now shifting from the controversy itself to the subsequent relationship between Kim, who is expanding her position in the trot scene at age 17, and Sim, who has spanned the history of Korean popular music.