The reactions are brutal.
8 minutes ago
Actor Lee Sang Heon is now facing scathing backlash from Korean netizens after sharing multiple Instagram Stories about South Korea’s ongoing re-election protests.
Lee Sang Heon on “XO, Kitty” | @sangheonleesh/Instagram
The actor, best known for playing Min Ho Moon in Netflix’s XO, Kitty, reposted an image showing a crowd of protesters waving Korean flags. The text on the image read, “Unprecedented ‘ballot paper shortage’ incident. From June 3 until now, organized at a glance.”
| @sangheonleesh/Instagram
In another Story, he shared a video showing a large protest crowd with the English text, “Koreans asking for re-election,” alongside Korean text reading, “Protest underway demanding a re-election.”
He also reposted a video about South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, with English subtitles that read, “10 facts that were buried immediately after his inauguration.” Lee Sang Heon added his own caption underneath, writing, “What is going on Korea…”
| @sangheonleesh/Instagram
The posts drew attention because the ongoing protests have become politically charged. The demonstrations began after a serious ballot paper shortage disrupted voting at multiple polling stations during South Korea’s June 3, 2026 (KST) local elections. Reuters reported that 50 out of 14,300 polling stations ran out of ballots, with voting temporarily suspended at 22 locations due to delays in receiving new supplies. Some voters were reportedly forced to wait for hours or leave without casting their ballots, sparking public anger over whether citizens’ voting rights had been properly protected.
The controversy quickly became politicized, however, because the protests were not only about election mismanagement. Demonstrators, including conservative YouTubers and far-right groups, gathered near the SK Olympic Handball Stadium in Seoul, where ballots were being counted, and called for the entire election to be re-run. Some protesters also blocked ballot boxes and prevented election officials from leaving the counting site, leading riot police to intervene.
So, while the ballot shortage itself has been acknowledged by election officials and criticized across the political spectrum, the re-run protests have been closely associated with conservative and far-right demonstrators alleging election fraud. The demonstrations also came after President Lee Jae Myung’s ruling Democratic Party won most major mayoral and provincial races nationwide, making public support for the protests especially politically charged.
| @sangheonleesh/Instagram
That said, on theqoo, many netizens criticized Lee Sang Heon’s posts, with some accusing him of aligning himself with far-right talking points. Others focused on his relative lack of recognition in Korea despite his international Netflix role, repeatedly calling him “nugu,” a slang term for someone unknown or irrelevant.
- But seriously, who is this?
- The far-right radicalization of people in their 20s is seriously bad.
- Who are you again?
- Oh no…
- What the hell?
- Excuse me, but who are you??
- WTF.
- I was thinking about watching XO, but I was hesitating because it looked too childish. Now I know I’ll never watch it.
- I don’t know who he is, but far-right people really are dumb.
- But seriously, nugu.
- Who are you, though?
- Wait, is he not Korean?
- He’s definitely Korean and even served in the military… He plays Min Ho.
- Actor?? There was an actor like that?
- This is my first time hearing of him.
- It’s so depressing how people in their 20s are getting propagandized. Seriously.
- Where was he and what was he doing when martial law happened?
- He’s only South Korean by nationality. He kept attending school overseas. Hong Kong Island School, University of Northampton.
- Is he Korean?? Isn’t he a gyopo?
- Ugh, damn. Bye.
- What a shame.
As of now, Lee Sang Heon has not yet issued a separate statement addressing the backlash.
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