The latest episode of MBC‘s I Live Alone, featuring NCT member Doyoung, has since caused intense backlash online. Both the idol and TV star Jun Hyun Moo are now being slammed for being immature and even misogynistic.
At one point in the episode, Doyoung was seen spending some time at his parents’ house. After making himself a quick noodle dish, he then left the dishes piled in the kitchen sink. While stacking the dishes, he hummed, “If I leave them like this, Mom will clean up for me.”
Other stars on the show, like SHINee‘s Key and comedian Im Woo Il, laughed at Doyoung skipping the dishes. But it was Jun Hyun Moo who ended up flabbergasting his co-stars and the viewers with comments that followed.
Im Woo Il: [Laughs]
Key: I get it… Who does the dishes at mom’s?
Jun Hyun Moo: Do you not do the dishes when you visit your parents’?
Key: No, but I do all the cooking. Like, I’m the one who does the cooking even at my parents’. So…
In response to Doyoung’s behavior, Jun Hyun Moo claimed that sometimes he intentionally leaves his dishes undone if he knows his mother will be visiting his place.
Jun Hyun Moo: Sometimes… When I know my mom will be visiting… I just let the dishes pile up.
Code Kunst: Man…
Im Woo Il: Really?!
Park Na Rae: Yikes.
Im Woo Il: You’re like… the most ungrateful person I’ve spoken to in a while.
Park Na Rae: Seriously. You’re such an ingrate.
When his comment immediately sparked reactions from his co-stars, Jun Hyun Moo went on to add that his mother is better at degreasing his dirty dishes.
Code Kunst: You’re not even talking about when you’re visiting their house. You mean you leave your dishes in your own home for when they visit you?
Jun Hyun Moo: My mom— Listen, my mom knows how to clean off grease like a pro.
Key: Hyung… This is corporal punishment level behavior. This is at least 20 slaps.
Im Woo Il: People like you make me think we need to bring back caning.
Jun Hyun Moo: But she’s just so good at degreasing…
Park Na Rae: Just shut up now.
Key: He’s unbelievable.
Jun Hyun Moo: Dishwashers can’t even compare. For real.
Doyoung: But OK, it’s just different when moms do it. They’re just better.
Jun Hyun Moo: That’s what I’m saying!
Im Woo Il: I understand. But the fact that he deliberately piles them up is messed up. That’s intentionally neglecting the dishes. That’s horrible.
Park Na Rae: So strategic… What a terrible son.
The clip has, inevitably, circulated across online communities like theqoo, where both Doyoung and Jun Hyun Moo’s behaviors have been called out. One post quickly gained over 900 comments, all critical of what was shown in the episode.
- “He’s the type of guy who would totally slack off on housework if he got married… He’d just sit there waiting until his wife starts doing everything.”
- “To Korean men, women are just home appliances.”
- “Isn’t Jun Hyun Moo’s mom at grandma age by now? He really saves up his dirty dishes and makes her do them at that age? I’m seriously fuming. And he says this on TV?”
- “It should’ve been Jun Hyun Moo who declared going single for life, not Kim Dae Ho. LOL.”
- “WTF?”
- “My mom watched this part and immediately said, ‘What a rude jerk,’ and changed the channel.”
- “If he gave his mom ₩100 million KRW (about $73,500 USD) every time she visited, then maybe I could try to understand for like 3 seconds. LOL.”
- “He can clearly afford to hire a cleaning service.”
- “Even if he said that just to provoke people, it’s still disgusting. There’s a line with jokes, and this crossed it. Why would the producer even air this?”
- “Im Woo Il’s comment is exactly how I feel. The fact that he piles the dishes up on purpose is just messed up. Someone needs to teach him some manners.”
- “…?? Wait, is he actually serious?”
- “Dishwashers these days are super advanced—why not just use one?”
- “He’s so insufferable.”
Viewers expressed strong disappointment in the male stars for not being able to clean up after themselves—with some even dubbing them “typical Han-nam,” a derogatory Korean slang used to criticize patriarchal or misogynistic Korean men.
- “None of our business, really… I mean, I bet he gives his mom way more allowance than the people here talking trash.”
- “You think it’s a flopped joke? Not at all… Starting from Doyoung, they’re being 100% serious.”
- “No way. With that much money, of course he’d hire help. LOL.”
- [Unrelated comment]
- “”I watched the actual broadcast and he sounded dead serious. He said dishes washed by his mom are better than the dishwasher. [Doyoung] even agreed, like yeah, that’s true.”
- “Just use the dishwasher…”
- “I don’t care if it was a failed joke or not. Leaving the dishes for your mom to wash after you eat at her house? That’s not a joke, that’s just messed up. Seriously, what’s with guys in their 20s these days?”
- “Ughhh…”
- “Not surprised, though. Just look at his behavior. Totally believable he’d do that. But what’s crazy is some people are still defending him? Whether it’s a joke or not, Korean men have it so easy. And yet some still can’t manage to get married — like, how?”
- “I hate this…”
- “What a han-nam.”
Watch the full clip here: