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Actor Song Joong-ki has found himself facing backlash following a comment about his wife, Katie Louise Saunders, during a recent appearance on a YouTube channel. This comes after the poor box office performance of his recent film, adding to his difficulties with public criticism.

In the video, which aired on December 26th on the YouTube channel "Hello, This is Choi Hwajung," Song Joong-ki shared details about his newlywed life. During the conversation, he complimented his wife’s cooking skills, mentioning that he had become a fan of Italian cuisine because of her. He humorously added, “You have to eat what she gives you,” praising her cooking abilities.

When Choi Hwajung asked what Korean dishes his wife is good at making, Song Joong-ki responded, “She’s amazing... I sound like such a proud husband, don’t I? But I can’t help it, I have to brag.” He then explained that Katie, whose mother is from Colombia and father is British, is skilled in cooking Colombian, British, and Italian food, and has even learned to make Korean dishes thanks to friends.

Song Joong-ki went on to express his gratitude, saying that their friends always comment that his wife is much too good for him. However, his use of the word "걔" (meaning "that person" or "she" in a casual, often dismissive way) when referring to his wife sparked a wave of criticism. Many netizens, particularly in female-dominated online communities, deemed the comment disrespectful and inappropriate.

Some commenters expressed discomfort, saying things like, “It sounds like he’s treating her like a pet, praising her like she’s a puppy,” and “It feels like he’s making a conscious effort to downplay his wife’s intelligence.” Others criticized his choice to refer to his wife as "걔" despite her being fluent in multiple languages and well-educated. There were also remarks about his previous marriage to Song Hye-kyo, with some criticizing his past relationship decisions and this latest controversy.

The backlash grew as Song Joong-ki's recent film "Bogotá" also faced a poor box office showing. The film, which opened on December 31, has earned only 400,000 viewers as of January 15, far from its break-even point of 3 million viewers. Song Joong-ki had previously expressed emotional frustration at the film’s failure during a Q&A session on January 12, where he teared up, saying, "I tried my best to promote the film and make things better, even though I fell short."

As the criticism surrounding Song Joong-ki continues, there are increasing calls for him to be more mindful of his public statements, particularly regarding his wife.