Taiwanese singer-actor Wayne Huang apologized for making a sexual remark about the members of Le Sserafim during the girl group's appearance on a local TV show after receiving backlash online.

“I want to apologize to the viewers who may have felt uncomfortable with my comment," the Taiwanese singer said on Instagram on Sunday.

Both the singer and the girl group appeared on the televised 2024 Super Star special held at Taipei Arena in Taiwan on Jan. 27, during which the Taiwanese singer made an inappropriate comment whenmembers of Le Sserafim were eating sweet potato on a stick.

“I want to stick it in them down there,” he said, according to media reports.

His co-host pointed out his remark on the spot, and Huang reportedly clarified his comment, but fans continued to criticize him for sexual harassment.

Huang apologized on his social media the following day, saying his comment was "something that everyone would have misunderstood.”

“Letting the members try the food one by one was part of the program and my comment was an immediate reaction to Huh Yun-jin’s comment, saying she wants to try the sweet potato balls on a stick,” Huang said. “I didn’t want to make the process awkward.”

“What I truly wanted to say was that ‘I’m happy to share delicious food with an idol that I admire,’” he added. “I did not intend to say any other meaning than that.”

The program will be aired on Feb. 9 on Lunar New Year’s Eve on TTV.

Le Sserafim debuted in 2022 with the album “Fearless” under Source Music, a subsidiary of HYBE. The group consists of five members: Sakura, Kim Chae-won, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha, Hong Eun-chae. The groups released songs such as, “Fearless” (2022), “Antifragile” (2022) and “Perfect Night” (2023).

It is set to release its third EP “EASY” on Feb. 19.

To find out more about Le Sserafim, visit Celeb Confirmed!


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]