Actress Kim Bin-woo has officially apologized after a late-night live broadcast sparked a controversy over noise between floors. Despite the apology, many are pointing out that celebrities need to be more mindful of their social media activities.
On May 11, a clip from Kim Bin-woo’s TikTok live broadcast quickly went viral across online communities and SNS. In the video, Kim Bin-woo is seen wearing flashy light-up glasses, holding a microphone, and enjoying dancing and singing to music, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a “home club.”
The issue is that the broadcast took place around 1 AM. When a viewer asked if she lived in an apartment, Kim Bin-woo replied, “I’m on the first floor,” which ignited a heated debate. While some fans defended her, saying the first floor should be fine, others criticized her, stating that it’s too noisy for the early morning hours and that sound can travel even to diagonal units.
The controversy grew as people pointed out that noise between floors isn’t just a problem for the unit below. According to experts, noise in multi-unit housing can travel through walls and pillars to neighbors, the unit above, and even diagonal units. Some netizens who have suffered from noise complaints noted that being on the first floor doesn’t justify singing into a microphone at dawn. Others added that “a microphone at dawn was too much” and that “behaving as if you live in a detached house while in a multi-unit dwelling can be a nuisance.”
As the controversy spread, Kim Bin-woo eventually bowed her head in apology. She posted on SNS, “I am deeply reflecting on my short-sightedness. I will be more careful in the future. I am sorry.”
Some netizens reacted by saying, “Mistakes happen, but it’s a relief she apologized quickly,” while others felt, “It’s a shame her initial response was so confident” and “Noise issues are sensitive for everyone, so she should have been more careful.” It was also noted that under current laws, noise regulations apply to first-floor residents as well, and repeated actions can even lead to strong criminal penalties, adding to the calls for more caution.
Ultimately, this controversy highlighted that the issue isn’t simply whether “the first floor is okay,” but rather a matter of basic consideration and empathy for those living together in multi-unit housing. Many are calling for more cautious behavior from influential figures like celebrities, as their small actions can be seen as a standard by many people.
