SEOUL, Sept 24 — GOT7’s Jinyoung is under heavy scrutiny after a fleeting moment during his birthday livestream sparked outrage across fandoms. 

On Monday, the 31-year-old idol-actor went ‘live’ to celebrate with fans, reading comments and granting requests. 

But when a viewer from Israel asked for an air kiss, Jinyoung read the comment aloud and obliged — a split-second interaction that has ignited intense debate.

Clips of the livestream quickly spread online, with many netizens expressing anger and disappointment. 

Amid the ongoing genocide in Palestine, fans said the mention of Israel — let alone a playful gesture — felt painfully out of touch. 

@nana.learnkorean.1 يا عيب الشوم عليك و على كل الناس لي مثلك نزلت من عيني ماكنت متوقعاها منك‍‍ #jinyoung #got7 #freepalestine #palestine #kdrama cardigan - Taylor Swift

Some argued that the conflict has been in the headlines for so long that Jinyoung “should already know” the gravity of the situation without fans needing to educate him.

Others pointed to his recent KRW100 million (RM301,000) donation to Save The Children, which runs emergency programmes in Gaza, as evidence of his awareness and goodwill. 

For them, the livestream moment came across as an unfortunate lapse rather than a political stance.

While many idols face backlash for staying silent or partnering with brands linked to Israel, it is rare for a K-pop star to mention the country directly unless condemning the violence. 

As iGOT7s flood his social media with messages urging greater sensitivity, Jinyoung has yet to comment on the incident, leaving the fandom split between disappointment and defence.