Actor Lee Sang Heon, who played Min Ho Moon in Netflix's "XO, Kitty," is being criticized by South Korean netizens after posting Instagram Stories regarding the country's ongoing re-election protests.

According to Koreaboo, Lee shared images and videos showing a ballot paper shortage during the June 3, 2026 local elections, which caused disruptions at several polling stations. One image showed protesters waving Korean flags with the caption, "Unprecedented 'ballot paper shortage' incident. From June 3 until now, organized at a glance." Another post featured a large protest crowd demanding a re-election, accompanied by text in both English and Korean.

The protests emerged after election officials acknowledged shortages at 50 out of 14,300 polling stations, with voting temporarily halted at 22 locations. Some voters waited for hours or left without casting ballots, sparking widespread frustration about the protection of citizens' voting rights.

However, the demonstrations quickly took on a political tone. Conservative YouTubers and far-right groups gathered near the SK Olympic Handball Stadium in Seoul, where ballots were being counted, calling for a full election rerun. Some protesters blocked ballot boxes and obstructed election officials, prompting police intervention.

Lee also shared a video about President Lee Jae Myung with the caption, "What is going on Korea..." The president's Democratic Party had recently won most major mayoral and provincial races nationwide, intensifying political tensions surrounding the protests.

Lee Sang Heon's posts sparked backlash on social media platform theqoo, with many accusing him of promoting far-right narratives. Some netizens also criticized his relative obscurity in Korea despite his international exposure through Netflix, using the slang term "nugu" to describe him as unknown or irrelevant.

"The far-right radicalization of people in their 20s is seriously bad," one netizen said. "Is he even Korean? He studied overseas," another netizen commented.

A number of commenters also shared their disappointment, saying they had considered watching "XO, Kitty" but would now avoid it because of his political stance.

Lee Sang Heon has not issued a statement responding to the backlash. Best known for his role as Min Ho in Netflix's hit series "XO, Kitty," he is quickly becoming a name to watch in the entertainment industry.

At 27 years old, Capital FM noted that Lee's breakout role marks his first major TV appearance, but his career is already expanding beyond the small screen.

Born May 21, 1996, Lee was raised in Hong Kong before studying performing arts at the University of Northampton in England. The actor has a multicultural background with links to South Korea, Hong Kong and the UK, which can be heard in his unique British accent that fans have noticed while he's been out and about promoting the series.