Lesbian dating show To Get Her contestant Riwon addresses camgirl past, admits dating men after controversy: 'It's true'
The debut of To Get Her, South Korea's first lesbian dating reality show, aimed to break new ground in queer representation. However, shortly after its premiere on April 25, the show became embroiled in controversy centered around contestant Kim Riwon.
To Get Her contestant Riwon accused of queer-baiting and faking her sexuality
Riwon, who quickly gained popularity among viewers for her charisma and visuals, faced allegations of queer-baiting and accusations of faking her sexuality. These claims intensified when images and videos from her past as a "racy streamer" surfaced online, leading to widespread criticism. In response, Riwon deleted all posts from her Instagram account, which had approximately 293,000 followers. Further, she also penned a lengthy note, explaining her past and clarifying her sexuality.
Riwon shares a heartfelt letter after the controversy
Riwon responded to the growing backlash by sharing a heartfelt, handwritten apology on her Instagram account. In the letter, she acknowledged past controversies stemming from her streaming days and addressed the criticisms directly.
In her statement, Kim admitted to having hosted personal broadcasts during three separate periods: for about two years starting in 2016, again from November 2021 to March 2022, and most recently from February to September 2024. During this time, she said she went on six dinner outings, which she emphasized were strictly for meals with no physical contact involved. To maintain transparency, she noted that she streamed on each of those days to leave a clear record.
Kim acknowledged that regardless of the context or her intentions, she should have disclosed this part of her past to the production team before joining the show. She admitted that her decision not to do so was selfish and led to disappointment for many, offering a sincere apology for the hurt caused.
'I am a woman who loves women': Riwon
Riwon addressed the speculation around her sexuality and accusations of queerbaiting, firmly clarifying her identity. 'I am a woman who loves women,' she stated, sharing that she first came to understand her orientation in middle school. Her first relationship—with another woman—lasted over two and a half years.
She went on to open up about her internal struggles, admitting there were periods when she tried to deny who she truly was. This led her to date both women and men over the years. She shared that she was in a long-term relationship with a woman until June 2024, but during a time of ongoing self-doubt, she briefly dated a man in August.
Riwon addresses her past relationship with a man
Riwon revealed that her ex-boyfriend became abusive when she tried to leave, threatening to out her, using violence, and even issuing death threats. She said she joined ToGetHer to come out on her own terms rather than be forcibly outed. Though they briefly reconnected after she was cast, they've had no contact since early this year. Riwon has now hired a lawyer and plans to take legal action.
Former streamer apologises to the LGBTQ+ community
Riwon ended her statement with a heartfelt apology to the show's cast, crew, and the LGBTQ+ community. She admitted, 'It is true — without excuse — that I previously hosted inappropriate broadcasts and saw a man before filming began.'
She said her decision to join ToGetHer came from a desire to accept herself but acknowledged, 'I selfishly decided to appear on the show… I ended up causing harm to the show and deeply hurting the cast members and production staff.'
Riwon added, 'The cast and production team knew nothing about my past. They, too, are victims.' She expressed deep regret for 'tarnishing the significance of being part of Korea's first lesbian dating show,' saying, 'All the responsibility lies solely with me.'
Fans come out in Riwon's support
Despite the backlash, many fans have come out in support of Riwon, praising her honesty and vulnerability.
One fan wrote, "Riwon is so articulate with her words and handled everything with so much grace despite thousands of men mocking, harassing, and outright discriminating against her because of her past. I want to give her the tightest hug because she really doesn't deserve all the nonsense backlash."
riwon is so articulate with her words and handled everything with so much grace despite thousands of men mocking, harassing, and outright discriminating her bc of her past, i wanna give her the tightest hug bc she really doesn't deserve all the nonsense backlash #ToGetHer pic.twitter.com/qhleEtPpkr
"After everything, I just feel sorry for her. Everyone has a past, but she chose to stand up instead of giving up. Being LGBTQ+ in Korea is tough — she's so brave. I love Riwon and will always support her. Please don't let her leave the show," a second user wrote.
After everything, I just feel sorry for her. Everyone has a past, but she chose to stand up instead of giving up. Being LGBTQ+ in Korea is tough — she's so brave. I love Riwon and will always support her. Please don't let her leave the show.#ToGetHer pic.twitter.com/4HSfSbKc1A
A third X user wrote, "Who gives a fuck if Riwon is a camgirl or not? She's a woman who loves women, and that's all I need to know, period."
who gives a fuck if riwon is a camgirl or not, shes a woman who loves women and that all i need to know period. pic.twitter.com/AeIkDhNkTF
Another user mentioned, "I STAND BY LEE RIWON. She revealed her past, her trauma, her truth, and her love. And instead of meeting her with compassion, evil men criticized and shamed her, questioned her identity, and twisted her pain into scandal. She was THREATENED and ASSAULTED. But still chose to declare her truth for everybody to know: I am a woman who loves women. I have the right to exist, to love, and to heal."
I STAND BY LEE RIWONShe revealed her past, her trauma, her truth, and her love. And instead of meeting her with compassion, evil men criticized and shamed her, questioned her identity and twisted her pain into scandal.She was THREATENED and ASSAULTED. But still chose to… pic.twitter.com/wyHUCvgtZA
To Get Her is streaming on OTT platform Wavve and available internationally via Rakuten TV.
For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
19 minutes ago
- Mint
Groom's Bollywood dance to 'Dhoom Machale' wins hearts online, Hrithik Roshan says 'Love it'
An American groom has taken the internet by storm after a video of him dancing to Dhoom Machale at his wedding went viral. Shared by the Instagram account Lettering by Sav, the clip shows the groom—dressed in just his wedding vest and trousers—pulling off energetic moves to the iconic Bollywood number alongside his friends. The video was cheekily captioned, 'When a white boy marries a brown girl.' The surprise twist? Hrithik Roshan, who starred in Dhoom 2 and is often remembered for his dance in the song, saw the video and left a comment under it. The Bollywood star simply wrote, 'Love it,' with a fire emoji and left fans delighted. The groom's performance quickly became a fan favourite. Viewers praised his energy, effort, and joyful embrace of Indian culture. Comments ranged from playful—'Hrithik has been real silent ever since this was posted'—to heartfelt. One person declared, 'This guy's a keeper,' while another joked, 'The Indian government has to give him his Aadhaar card.' But the Dhoom tribute wasn't the only moment that caught attention. In another clip shared by the same account, the groom and his groomsmen are seen dancing to 'Desi Girl' from 'Dostana', again earning applause online. One commenter summed it up best: 'I love in interfaith weddings the non Indian groom dances to Indian music and involves in the culture. I would like to see more of the Indian bride also getting involved in his culture also.' Hrithik was last seen in 'Fighter', directed by Siddharth Anand. The film also featured Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor. He will next be seen in 'War 2', alongside Jr NTR and Kiara Advani. The film, directed by Ayan Mukerji, will also be Jr NTR's most-awaited Bollywood debut. Hrithik is also set to make his directorial debut with 'Krrish 4'. The film will be jointly produced by his father, Rakesh Roshan, and YRF's Aditya Chopra. The actor has also been signed on for a production under Hombale Films. However, details of the project are currently under wraps.
News18
25 minutes ago
- News18
Kangana Ranaut, Allu Arjun, Malaika Arora, Natasa Stankovic Strike A Pose For The Paps
Allu Arjun, Kangana Ranaut, Malaika Arora, Karishma Tanna and Natasa Stankovic were seen in Mumbai on Monday, posing casually for the paparazzi. Watch the video to know more. bollywood news | entertainment news live | latest bollywood news | bollywood | news18 | n18oc_moviesLiked the video? Please press the thumbs up icon and leave a comment. Subscribe to Showsha YouTube channel and never miss a video: Showsha on Instagram: Showsha on Facebook: Showsha on X: Showsha on Snapchat: entertainment and lifestyle news and updates on:
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'We often get shamed': Neha Dhupia supports Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand amid Sandeep Reddy Vanga row
Actor Deepika Padukone's reported exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit over the latter's refusal to an 8-hour shift has sparked a debate about work-life balance for the actors in the film industry. Now, actor Neha Dhupia has weighed in on the issue and spoken in support of Deepika's demands, especially as a working mother. (Also read: Rana Daggubati says Telugu cinema has 8-hour shift amid Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit: 'Some actors work 4 hours') Although Deepika herself has not spoken about the issue yet, Neha took to her Instagram stories on Monday and posted a note tagging Deepika. In the note, the Singh is Kinng actor wrote, "For work-life balance to go beyond conversations, new moms need practical support and consideration. Instead, we often get shamed or sidelined. As a working mom, I support @deepikapadukone's reasonable request for fair and considerate working hours." Earlier, actor Ajay Devgn also supported Deepika on this matter and said, 'It's not that it's not going down well with people. Most of the honest filmmakers will not have problems with it. And apart from this, being a mother and working for eight hours, most people have started working eight-nine-hour shifts.' Director Mani Ratnam, in an interview with News 18, also gave his two cents on the matter and supported Deepika by saying that if one is in a position to seek such demands, then that is absolutely valid. 'I think it is a rightful demand. I'm glad she's in a position to ask for it. I think as a filmmaker, you will take that into consideration when you cast. It is not an unreasonable thing to ask, but an absolute necessity. I think that should be the priority. You have to acknowledge that, understand it and work around it.' For the uninitiated, after Deepika decided to exit Spirit, reports emerged that stated that Vanga rejected some of her demands, including an 8-hour shift, a share in the film's profits, and not speaking her dialogue in Telugu. Deepika has recently joined Atlee's Telugu film alongside Allu Arjun.
