Shocking backlash has erupted after Mir, formerly of MBLAQ, repeatedly referred to his mother-in-law without using the honorific, sparking a fierce etiquette debate and forcing the channel to pull the video.
On the YouTube channel Banga Ne, run by Mir and actress Go Eun-ah, a short clip showed Mir, his wife, and his mother-in-law going out together. In the video, Mir said, "Our mother-in-law wasn’t feeling well, so we got her custom herbal medicine," expressing gratitude. The mother-in-law also showed affection toward her son-in-law.
The price of the herbal prescription reportedly came to about 2.26 million won (approximately $1,700), drawing attention. When Mir’s wife said, "Mom doesn’t have money," Mir joked, "What are you talking about? Our mother-in-law makes a lot of money," keeping the mood light. He then casually introduced details like his mother-in-law’s age, hobbies, and daily life.
The problem, however, was his wording. Throughout the video, Mir kept saying "jangmo" (mother-in-law) instead of the polite "jangmonim" (with the honorific "-nim"), which some viewers called disrespectful. Comments read, "No matter how close you are, you should keep proper forms of address" and "It comes off as lacking respect."
As the controversy grew, the channel ultimately deleted the video. No separate official statement has been released regarding the address-term dispute.
Mir married a non-celebrity one year his senior in December last year. Observers say the incident once again highlights how sensitive viewers can be about wording and forms of address in public-facing content.