In June 2025, KOYOTE member Shinji revealed that she has found love and will be getting married to her new beau, seven years younger than her. Then, on July 1, ahead of the holy matrimony, Shinji introduced the boyfriend, singer MoonOne, to her fellow group members—their “concerning” reactions captured in her latest YouTube video.
The video, “Who Dares Take Our Shinji?” shows Shinji and MoonOne dining with KOYOTE’s male members, Kim Jongmin and Bbaekga. Shinji used the term “sangkyeonrye” (상견례) to describe the interaction, which refers to the “formal family meeting” or meet-the-parents that takes place before a wedding.
Unfortunately, throughout the video, viewers encountered moments that have since found MoonOne a “red flag.” At one point, MoonOne mentions that he had initially picked his own outfit for the introduction: a T-shirt with a nice pair of sweats. Shinji added that she had to tell him to change into an outfit more fitting for the occasion of being formally introduced to her fellow KOYOTE members.
One of the more concerning moments included when MoonOne commented that he wasn’t aware of how popular Shinji was and that he only saw her as a woman. While it was potentially meant to be romantic (as in he wasn’t after her fame or wealth), many found the remark to sound like he was downplaying her success and importance in the K-Pop world.
MoonOne: There is something I would like to tell you. I think you might find this surprising, but…
Kim Jongmin: Oh no, can we not hear it?
Bbaekga: We don’t like surprises. We’re old. Our hearts can’t take it.
Kim Jongmin: Better not be a prank, like, “This was all a lie!”
MoonOne: Well… Now that everyone knows me as Shinji’s boyfriend and fiancé…
Bbaekga: Yes, the entire country knows now.
MoonOne: …but I hadn’t realized that Jisun-ie was this famous.
Kim Jongmin: [Laughs] So what, you were seeing her for the woman she was?
MoonOne: Right. I saw her for the woman she is and that made me want to be good to her. Like, she made me want to do better and live a better life, not making any mistakes.
Some also noted that, being a debut singer since 2012, there was no way he didn’t know who Shinji was, given how massively popular KOYOTE was. Others simply found him disrespectful because he kept referring to Shinji as “Jisun-ie,” her legal name, or “this pal” in front of all three people who were older than him, while he referred to his ex-wife using full honorifics.
But what concerned fans the most is Kim Jongmin and Bbaekga’s unfiltered reactions to finding out about MoonOne’s past on the spot. When MoonOne reveals that he was married once before, with a daughter that his ex-wife is raising, the interaction becomes unmistakenly heavy and Bbaekga gets up and leaves the room, saying he needs to use the restroom.
MoonOne: So I wanted to tell you that I have been married once before…
Kim Jongmin: Oh… really?
MoonOne: Yes, and I also have a lovely daughter.
Bbaekga: Y-you have a daughter?
MoonOne: Yes, my dearest daughter. My ex-wife is raising her, but I communicate with my ex-wife. I try to care about my daughter’s upbringing and be present in her life…
Bbaekga: Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.
MoonOne: Okay. I’ll continue talking once hyungnim returns.
Kim Jongmin: Sure. But I do think it’s commendable that you’re being responsible.
MoonOne: Yes, and she knows about all this. Well, she didn’t know at first. But when I realized how serious I felt about her, I decided that I needed to tell her everything.
Kim Jongmin: Of course. You absolutely have to share things like that.
MoonOne: I’m sure she needed time to process it, too. But she told me after really thinking it through that she is willing to accept everything about me because she loves me. And that really made me feel like she was in full support of me.
To Bbaekga stepping out of the room in the middle of the conversation, Shinji seemed to grow visibly shaken—and even asked Kim Jongmin if he thought Bbaekga was upset. She continued to defend MoonOne and her choice to accept him and his past.
When Bbaekga returned, he looked obviously disturbed (in comparison to his playfulness at the beginning of the video) but went on to bless the couple.
Shinji: I just thought about how tough it must have been for him to keep that from me.
Kim Jongmin: What’s important is that you both are aware of the situation at hand. You still made the decision knowing what it meant. Right, Shinji? So, I don’t want anybody saying anything about what the two of you agreed on.
Shinji: I just thought that it would not be fair and that it could be upsetting to you, oppa, and Bbaekga if you were to find out about this from somewhere else and not from us directly. And right now, people might not know about MoonOne. But once everyone starts finding out about him, I’m sure anyone could start talking… and that could be upsetting for the fans who have loved and supported us, too. You know? So, I knew we had to be the ones to just come forward with it but… Do you think Bbaekga is mad about it?
Kim Jongmin: Nah, I think he really needed to go to the restroom.
Shinji: Yeah? At that moment, of all times?
Kim Jongmin: [Laughs]
Shinji: I know people will have concerns. I knew, when the news first broke, that I would make some people worry.
[Bbaekga returns]
Shinji: I liked that about him. His sense of responsibility. He wasn’t going to ignore the issues at hand. I liked that he was trying to protect his child and that he was trying to remain an accountable parent. I found that attractive. I believe that he could show me the same kind of love and dedication.
Bbaekga: Well, I thought about it on my way to the restroom and… If you two are OK with it and are in love, who is anyone else to judge? And I think there’s meaning to be found in the fact that you two are staying together through it. So I’m glad we met up today and had the time and place to talk like this.
MoonOne: Thank you.
The video has received a flood of concerns in the comments. Multiple Korean online communities have also seen a spike of posts about Shinji’s fiancé and how Kim Jongmin and Bbaekga are right to be seeing the red flags in him. Tens of thousands of comments across platforms, with 26K+ on YouTube alone, are begging Shinji to reconsider.
- “Be careful of people who come close when you’re struggling.
Be careful of people who come close when you’re struggling.
Be careful of people who come close when you’re struggling…” - “He’s trying to force his words to make sense. That’s why his speech slows down and things start to not add up. He’s using honorifics in weird places… Please look at how other married celebrities are doing and think carefully.”
- “An acquaintance of his ex-wife posted saying to definitely look up the divorce case records, so I’m reposting it here in case Shinji doesn’t see it. Others, please help make sure she sees this.”
- “They’re showing us something this official??? It feels like… This is the last chance from the heavens. Unnie…”
- “People aren’t against him just because he’s divorced and has a kid—there’s a weird vibe about him. When everyone feels that vibe, there’s a reason. Please be careful.”
- “I feel like her YouTube editors and channel managers probably left the video uncut and kept the comments open because they’re trying to give her one last chance… Unnie, please come to your senses and listen to those around you… please…”
Shinji has since opted to interact with the comments that are congratulatory in nature, hinting that she has been made aware of the growing concerns from her fans.
- “Wow, seriously…?”
- “Look at Kim Jongmin and Bbaekga’s faces. That’s literally my face right now.”
- “Saying he didn’t know she was famous? That’s some next-level gaslighting.”
- “I’ve never claimed to be good at reading vibes, but this? The entire universe can tell he’s giving off weird energy LOL.”
- “He didn’t know who she was…?!”
- “Well, she needs to come to that realization herself. If she breaks up just because people are pressuring her, she’ll just think they’re Romeo and Juliet or something LOL.”
- “A singer born in 1988 who doesn’t know KOYOTE? Really???”
- “I know relationships are only fully understood by the people in them… but this doesn’t feel right.”
- “Classic gaslighter. ‘You think you’re that big of a deal? I didn’t even know who you were.’ That kind of thing.”
- “He’s already been through a sangkyeonrye before and he still thought it would be OK to wear sweats to meet the members who are basically her family…”
- “Unnie, it’s not too late…”
- “Unnie, please. Just date him, don’t marry him.”
- “Almost every female celebrity who went ahead with a wedding despite the whole internet warning her… ended up regretting it.”
- “When literally everyone is against it, there is usually a reason.”
- “He’s also a debuted singer. How does he not know KOYOTE?”
- “The male members’ facial expressions say it all.”
- “If they’re planning on getting married next July, Bbaekga and Kim Jongmin need to drop everything they’re doing and focus on stopping the wedding.”
- “If Shinji were in her mid-30s, I’d understand people trying to stop her. But come on, she’s older now. Let her live with who she wants. She won’t listen, and if we try to stop her, she’ll just resent us.”
Meanwhile, Shinji released a new song, “Salagadoola,” featuring her husband-to-be. The music video is now also seeing comments set on talking her out of the marriage.
