Actor Choi Woo-shik has publicly addressed the viral "Black fan passing" controversy from an overseas fashion show, issuing an apology and explaining that time was extremely limited.
On the 28th, Choi posted an English message to his Instagram Story, beginning, "If I missed you, I'm sorry." He added, "I tried to sign for as many people as possible, but time was too short," describing the scene at the time. He continued, "I really hope we can meet again next time," extending an apology to the fan at the center of the debate.
The controversy erupted after a video from a brand's runway event in Paris, France, spread online. A Black woman, who introduced herself as an actor and writer, claimed she did not receive Choi's autograph. She said, "Choi Woo-shik signed for other fans nearby but walked past me without making eye contact." She added, "I'm not someone who calls racism easily," yet alleged, "Choi reached over my head to sign only other people's items and left. I was the only Black person there," raising accusations of racism.
The internet quickly split. Some users empathized with the fan's sense of exclusion and criticized Choi's response. Others countered that the venue was extremely crowded and time-restricted, making it impossible to sign for everyone.
Another clip from the same event showed Choi smiling and responding to autograph requests from other Black fans, leading many to argue it was difficult to label the incident as racism. Fans commented, "It looks like he didn’t intentionally exclude anyone but just missed her in the chaos," and, "He seemed to be signing at random within a very short time window."
As the debate intensified, Choi posted on social media with an apology and clarification. Supporters responded, saying, "Thanks for confirming," and, "We’ll keep supporting you."
Meanwhile, Canadian-born Choi Woo-shik has been active this year in the film Number One and the variety show Youth Over Flowers: Limited Edition.