Season 31 Yeong-suk Apologizes Again: "If I Had Been Sun-ja, I Would Have Left the Show"

Season 31 Yeong-suk of the SBS Plus and ENA dating reality program "I Am Solo" has bowed her head again over the controversy surrounding behind-the-back remarks about Sun-ja.

On May 31, Yeong-suk posted an apology on her Instagram account, addressing viewers who felt uncomfortable while watching the broadcast because of what she described as her inadequate words and behavior. She wrote, "I bow my head and apologize to viewers who may have felt uncomfortable because of my lacking words and actions on the broadcast. Above all, I am truly sorry to Sun-ja, who was hurt the most by this incident."

Yeong-suk continued by acknowledging that the image of herself shown on the program could not be undone by any excuse. She said she was deeply reflecting on her wrongful behavior, adding that she had been conveying apologies to Sun-ja since early May and would continue to apologize steadily until her sincerity reached her. She also explained that she is usually frank in expressing emotion and tends to confide in people around her when she has worries, but admitted that she had failed to consider that her words and actions during that process could wound someone else.

The controversy began during filming for Season 31 of "I Am Solo." Yeong-suk, together with her roommates Ok-sun and Jeong-hui, talked about Sun-ja. Sun-ja, who was in another room, ended up hearing the conversation unintentionally. After the broadcast, viewers pointed out that the three women had spoken ill of Sun-ja behind her back.

Yeong-suk admitted fault, saying that even though they were in different rooms, she should have been careful about every action inside the shared lodging where they were all living together. She said that before seeing Sun-ja as a competitor, she should have been more considerate and attentive toward her as a fellow member of the same season, but she failed to do so.

She apologized again for several specific behaviors: taking photos in the shared living room only with certain people, speaking loudly until dawn, and treating Sun-ja awkwardly because they were competitors. Yeong-suk said all of those actions must have made Sun-ja feel deeply excluded. She added that if the positions had been reversed and she had gone through that situation herself, it would have been painful enough for her to consider leaving the show because of the stress of the relationships. She said she felt deeply ashamed of her ignorance in failing to consider the other person's position.

During filming, Yeong-suk and Sun-ja formed a love triangle with Gyeong-su, and the program showed subtle conflict and tension between them. At the end of the broadcast, Gyeong-su ultimately chose Sun-ja, and the two developed into a real-life couple.