EXO member Baekhyun has come under scrutiny following comments he made about a viral food trend, prompting online debate and renewed discussion about public figures and careful speech.

The controversy stems from Baekhyun's recent interaction with fans, where he shared his personal thoughts on the popular Dubai chewy cookie trend. His remarks quickly circulated online, drawing mixed reactions from fans and netizens alike.

According to Koreaboo, Baekhyun addressed the dessert during a message sent to fans on the paid communication platform Bubble, where he spoke candidly about its appearance, price and calorie count. In his message, he questioned the appeal of the treat and compared it to more affordable food options.

In the Bubble message, Baekhyun shared his unfiltered opinion, saying, "Have you seen the Dubai chewy cookie mukbang? It doesn't look good. I find it weird. It's 500 calories for that one small piece! Wouldn't it be better to eat a cup of ramen instead of that? And it's so expensive. It's the price of one bowl of rice soup. The ingredients to make it don't seem that expensive..."

Insight reported that following the spread of Baekhyun's comments, an online community post emerged that sought to counter his remarks by scrutinizing the pricing of his official merchandise. The post listed specific items and compared their retail prices to estimated production costs.

The online post cited merchandise prices, including "Three set photo card set (random) – 6000 KRW ($~4.06 USD)" and "Reusable bag – 17,000 KRW ($~11.50 USD)." It further claimed that the estimated manufacturing costs were significantly lower than the retail prices, calculating 1,380 KRW (about 93 cents) to produce the reusable bag and 294.6 KRW (about 30 cents) for three photo cards.

As the discussion gained traction, netizens shared critical reactions across online forums. Several comments expressed disappointment over what they viewed as repeated careless remarks from the singer.

One commenter wrote, "It's a shame that Baekhyun makes careless remarks often." Another added, "Something he didn't really have to say." A separate comment stated, "Why is he still making these careless mistakes even after many years since his debut..." while another observed, "This is why celebrities need to be careful as to what they say. If they say something wrong, they get double the hate."

Neither Baekhyun nor his agency has publicly responded to the backlash as of publication. The incident highlights the heightened scrutiny faced by celebrities, particularly when personal opinions intersect with viral trends and consumer culture.