Super Junior member and actor Siwon drew attention after personally asking a foreign tourist to stop smoking while visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace.
On August 18 KST, Siwon uploaded a video titled “A Rainy Palace Tour, Gyeongbokgung (feat. Yang In Eok)” to his YouTube channel.
In the video, Siwon toured various areas of Gyeongbokgung with volunteer palace guide Yang In Eok, learning about the history of the royal palace and its cultural heritage.
While the two were discussing one of the palace’s decorative guardian figures, Siwon noticed a foreign tourist apparently preparing to smoke nearby.
Siwon immediately approached the tourist and politely said, “Excuse me, please,” gesturing for them to stop smoking.
The tourist appeared to understand his request and immediately lowered the cigarette. Siwon responded, “Thank you,” before returning to the tour.
Meanwhile, Siwon has recently attracted attention for publicly sharing his thoughts on social and political issues.
In July, he wrote on social media that he wanted to continue discussing the future of South Korea while also listening more carefully to differing opinions. He said that, as a citizen, he often thinks about what kind of country should be left for the next generation and hoped to exchange thoughts with fans.
His social media activity has also sparked debate over his perceived political views. Siwon previously left three South Korean flag emojis on a video related to a protest calling for a re-election and posted several four-character idioms and Bible verses around the time of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s first-trial ruling.
Siwon has since pushed back against attempts to define his political position based on individual posts or opinions.
“I don’t think it is desirable to conclude that someone supports a particular person or political camp simply based on personal likes, dislikes, or a few opinions,” he said, adding that people should make an effort to understand the thoughts and backgrounds of those with differing views before reaching conclusions.
He has also taken legal action seeking damages over malicious online posts directed at him.
