After Chinese Netizens Hit the Roof Over Lee Hyori’s Remark, ‘How Do You Play?’ Gives Explanation

Lee Hyori’s recent Instagram post has been buried in criticisms from Chinese netizens after she mentioned “Mao” as her possible stage name. This is because the name is reminiscent of Chinese communist revolutionary Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao.

In response, MBC’s How Do You Play? gave an explanation. They wrote,

“During the recent episode, we heard that some overseas viewers felt uncomfortable with “Mao,” which Lee Hyori mentioned in the process of setting her new stage name.

We had no intention of referring to a specific person, and we have cut the scene out from yesterday’s paid service to prevent further misunderstanding.

Also, Lee Hyori’s final decision for her new stage name is a different name.

The production team will put more care into the work.”

Meanwhile, Lee Hyori mentioned the name “Mao” when she said, “We can go global this time. So what do you think about a name like ‘Mao’ for my stage name?” After the broadcast, some overseas netizens expressed their anger by venting out on Lee Hyori’s Instagram. Some also started to insult the great names from Korean history, making others frown.

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