Model and actor Lee Soo-hyuk has spoken out regarding controversies involving his longtime friend G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong), addressing speculation that he imitates the global superstar’s stage mannerisms.

On January 22, Hong Jin-kyung’s YouTube channel “Study King Genius Hong Jin-kyung” uploaded a video titled “Cheongdam-Dong Dominated by Model Force: Lee Soo-hyuk and Hong Jin-kyung." In the episode, Lee Soo-hyuk appeared as a guest, joining Hong Jin-kyung for shopping and dinner as they discussed various topics.

During the conversation, Hong Jin-kyung broached the topic carefully, saying, “People say friends start to resemble each other. At some point, you started walking on stage and making gestures so much like G-Dragon that it led to a lot of those videos and memes circulating online.” Lee Soo-hyuk responded, “I’ve seen those clips too. I watch all my content. When I saw fans emailing me those videos—seeing people who care about and support me feeling hurt— I realized I needed to address it. I will definitely be taking strong action,” signaling his intention to respond decisively to malicious or misleading content.

Lee Soo-hyuk also shared a lighthearted anecdote about his mother's reaction: “My mother even called, saying, ‘Walk properly, spit out your gum, and don’t blink so much.’ I just told her, ‘Mom, I’ll take care of it.’” His story brought laughter during the conversation.

He went on to affirm his close friendship with G-Dragon. When Hong Jin-kyung asked if they were the closest of friends, Lee replied, “You know how it is. Sometimes, we see each other a lot, but other times, we can’t even talk on the phone. When we do reconnect, we’ll suddenly message a lot, but when we’re face-to-face, we don’t actually talk that much.” This candid insight showcased their authentic friendship dynamic.

Lee also reflected on the early days of their relationship: “We met as kids with dreams before either of us debuted. We fought in the beginning, but one day I realized, ‘My friend has become a superstar,’ and I just accepted it. Since then, I’ve actually been a little more careful around him.”

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=MHN DB