When controversy arose over the expression ″Musupno″ used by RIIZEnne member Woni in a YouTube channel video, Geoje City issued an official statement regarding the remark.

On the 10th, Geoje City stated in a press release, ″The expression is a dialect and colloquial phrase commonly used in the Gyeongnam region, and it is inappropriate to interpret it as having a specific political intent.″ It also said, ″The indiscriminate spread of unverified facts and excessive criticism can cause harm to the parties involved,″ and added, ″We ask for cooperation to establish a mature communication culture that respects one another.″

Mayor Byun Kwang-yong of Geoje said, ″RIIZEnne’s Woni has been steadily promoting his hometown Geoje by introducing the warm Geoje dialect and everyday local scenes on his YouTube channel, and he has received much love for his humble and sincere image.″ He added, ″We will continue to do our best to enhance Geoje’s brand value and city image together with ambassadors representing the region.″

This controversy began on the 28th of last month when Woni said ″Musupno″ while entering Minami’s younger sibling’s room in a RIIZEnne YouTube video, which was flagged on social media by a PD from Gyeongnam MBC as an ″Ilbe-style expression.″ Subsequently, former leader of the Innovation Party, Cho Kuk, posted a message claiming that the ending ″no″ mocks the late President Roh Moo-hyun, which further fueled the debate. In response, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, argued, ″A 22-year-old idol from Geoje, Gyeongnam, was branded as Ilbe simply for saying ’Musupno’ in his hometown dialect.″

Academics responded that attaching the ending ″no″ to express exclamation or feeling is not incorrect grammar nor an Ilbe-style usage. The National Institute of the Korean Language’s regional dialect survey also confirmed cases of ″-no″ being used in sentences without interrogative words.

Meanwhile, it is reported that a civil complaint requesting an official stance on Woni’s expression was filed with the National Petition Board in Geoje City. The PD who initially pointed out Woni’s remark later closed their social media account. Additionally, lawyer Jo Su-jin, a director of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, stated on Instagram on the 9th, ″I realize I lacked understanding of the language of the younger generation, which often omits parts in online conversations,″ and added, ″I am worried that my remarks may have hurt Woni, an artist of the RIIZEnne group, and I want to express my apologies.″