Korean actor Song Joong Ki is facing backlash from netizens for a comment he used when speaking about his wife in a recent video.

As reported by Exports News, Song discussed his new life as a husband in a video posted on Dec. 26, 2024, noting how well his wife cooks — everything from "pasta to Colombian."

He has been heavily criticized over most recently calling her "걔" (that person), especially in female-only online communities.He did, however, call her "걔 (that person)," which has prompted a heavy backlash, especially from female-only online communities.

Netizens commented: "Do you call your wife 'that person'?" and It feels like praising a dog for being clever and cute."

Some criticized the language he had chosen, saying, "You can sense that he's consciously choosing his words. His current wife is well-educated and fluent in foreign languages, but does he just expect her to stay home and cook?"

Note that the word "걔" is informal and used to refer to someone younger or who is of the same social status as you. That makes it, to many, dismissive of a spouse being in public.

Song, further reeling from the negative reaction over his comments, broke down at a promotional event for his latest film, "Bogota: City of The Lost."

During his speech to the audience, he thanked the film for being able to hit theatres despite the precarious situation of Korean film industry.

When he spoke about trying to sell the film, which has not done well at the box office, he started to tear up.

Song Joong Ki was quoted by Export News as saying, "These days, Korean films are in a very difficult situation. To be honest, I'm really thankful that the film is even showing in theaters.Since Korean films are so difficult, I've been promoting it harder than ever, not only for our film but also for myself."

He continued, "I wanted to make it known and look pretty. Even though I'm lacking and I'll get criticized, I tried to make this situation better. Still, I want to say thank you to everyone who came to see our movie."

Song Joong-ki, who was continuing the story, said, "I'm starting to cry as I talk," and wiped away his tears. After gathering his emotions, he said, "Thank you."

Online reactions to his emotions were in a mixed variety.

His supporters claimed he was passionate and that "he deserves props for that," while detractors branded him as "fake" and a fellow "hyprocrite" and compared his tears to "crocodile tears."

Song's family matters, earnings, and other personal issues were discussed by some netizens even.

Song has been spending his daily life propping up "Bogota: City of the Lost" in a variety of media appearances, continuing to slog through the fallout from both the backlash over his remarks as well as the disappointing box office performance of his film.

However, fans are still showing strong support for the actor, wishing that both his career and public image take a turn for the better.