Amid the excitement of the 2026 North American World Cup, a Korean influencer who had been receiving sympathy for falling victim to racial discrimination has now become the subject of a 'Messi mockery' controversy, facing harsh criticism.
Influencer 'Inoyang' (real name Yoon Soo-jin), who has 6.65 million YouTube subscribers, posted a video on her social media and YouTube channel on the 20th showing her stepping on the uniform of Lionel Messi, a superstar of the Argentine national team. The video quickly spread among football fans, sparking strong backlash.
The core of the controversy lies in a stark contradiction with Inoyang's past actions. During this World Cup viewing, she was subjected to racial discrimination by a Mexican man and even received an apology from him. Yet, she went on to create and distribute hateful content directed at a specific player.
Outraged fans immediately voiced their displeasure. Criticism poured in such as "Someone who opposed discrimination is now reproducing another form of hate," and "How would you feel if someone from another country made a video stepping on Son Heung-min's uniform?" Given that this mockery was directed at Messi, who has hundreds of millions of fans worldwide, the reaction from both domestic and international football fans was even more intense.
As the controversy spiraled out of control, Inoyang made the video private and uploaded an explanation video. She said, "I made the video thinking it was a trend," and "Messi is a player I really like. I'm sorry to everyone who was hurt," and apologized.
However, fans remain cold. Despite having directly experienced racial discrimination, the fact that she uncritically produced another form of hateful content is drawing criticism that this should not be viewed as a simple mistake. This incident, which emerged on the World Cup stage—a festival for people around the world—raises a weighty question about influencers' social responsibility.
