Following a joke about Cantopop boy band Mirror's member Keung To's recent fall into the sea, a restaurant reservation platform faced significant online heat and apologized amid widespread outrage.
After the news broke that the singer fell into the waters near the Western Wholesale Food Market on Tuesday night, numerous comments lacking empathy emerged online, prompting local artists Florica Lin and Kaki Sham Ka-ki to speak out.
In a now-deleted post on social media platform Threads, the dining discount service platform stated, "Hello to all Keung To's fans, soothe your worries with a nice meal. Enjoy some seafood to support your idol spiritually."
This insensitive caption quickly ignited outrage online, leading the platform to delete the post and issue an apology to the celebrity, his fans, and everyone affected.
In their statement, the company expressed regret for their insensitivity regarding Keung's heavy psychological pressures as a public figure.
Acknowledging their failure to foresee the potential misunderstandings or negative impacts of their wordings, the company described their post as "lacking respect and sensitivity."
The company regretted making a joke without fully understanding Keung's situation, recognizing that it caused harm to him and his supporters.
Promising to learn from this experience, the company stated that it will prioritize everyone's feelings in future content creation, especially regarding the privacy and pressures faced by public figures.
Additionally, the company ensured that its advertising content will have a positive impact rather than inadvertently leading to miscommunications or injury in the future.
The company is still receiving criticism online despite the apologies, with some commenters calling for a boycott, arguing that the post appeared to gloat over someone's misfortune.
Subsequent to the incident, Keung is scheduled to join fellow MIRROR members Anson Lo, Edan Lui, and Jeremy Lee at the "Strawberry Seoul Time" sharing event tonight at MacPherson Stadium before heading to Paris Fashion Week.
The beloved idol reassured fans of his safety via Instagram on Tuesday night after the incident.
Keung's management company, MakerVille, later released a statement explaining that Keung was feeling unwell and dizzy during a jog along the seaside in Sai Wan, urging the public not to make unnecessary speculations and clarifying that rumors circulating online were untrue.
