RESCENE Woni Pokémon Card-Cutting Controversy Explained

Tracking the controversy surrounding RESCENE member Woni after a short clip of her cutting an unopened Pokémon trading-card pack in half during an August 2026 livestream went viral, prompting criticism from some Japanese Pokémon fans and accusations of anti-Japanese behavior. Longer footage showed that the card-shop owner suggested the stunt and that Woni repeatedly hesitated before agreeing to do it.

Woni Cut An Unopened Pokémon Card Pack In Half With Scissors. During an August 21 livestream on RESCENE’s official YouTube channel, Woni visited a Pokémon card shop and opened approximately 600,000 won worth of Pokémon TCG products. During the broadcast she used scissors to cut one unopened pack through the middle, destroying the cards inside. [SPORTS SEOUL]

The Card-Shop Owner Suggested The Pack-Cutting Stunt. The full broadcast showed that Woni did not originate the idea. The shop owner told her about a pack-opening stunt he described as popular in the United States in which an unopened pack is cut through the middle before anyone knows whether valuable cards are inside. [KOREA DAILY / OSEN]

Woni Repeatedly Hesitated Before Cutting The Cards. When the shop owner proposed cutting the pack, Woni initially considered it but questioned whether there was any reason to do so. Reporting on the full video said she continued hesitating while viewers urged her not to cut it before eventually agreeing after the owner repeatedly encouraged her. [MK SPORTS]

The Pack Contained Pokémon Cards Woni And Other RESCENE Members Wanted. After cutting the pack open, Woni discovered that it contained cards featuring Pokémon she or other group members liked, including Charmander. She reacted with regret after realizing what had been destroyed. [KOREA DAILY / OSEN]

A Shortened Clip Of The Card Cutting Went Viral Without The Earlier Context. After the livestream, an edited clip focused primarily on Woni cutting the cards circulated widely on social media. The shortened version omitted much of the preceding conversation in which the shop owner suggested the stunt and Woni hesitated about participating. [MEDIAFINE]

Some Japanese Users Accused Woni Of Disrespecting Pokémon And Even Being Anti-Japanese. The viral clip prompted angry responses from some Japanese social-media users, including people questioning why she would deliberately destroy Pokémon cards and one reaction asking whether it represented a new form of “anti-Japanese behavior.” [SPORTS SEOUL]

Other Viewers Said The Anti-Japanese Accusations Were Unsupported. Viewers familiar with the full livestream pushed back against the backlash, pointing out that Woni had been opening and enjoying Pokémon cards throughout the broadcast, had not suggested cutting the pack herself and had plainly hesitated before following the shop owner’s recommendation. [MK SPORTS]

Some Japanese Commenters Reconsidered Their Criticism After Learning The Full Context. Mediafine reported that reactions shifted after longer footage circulated, with some Japanese users blaming the shop owner for encouraging the stunt and expressing sympathy for Woni after learning that she had initially been reluctant to cut the pack. [MEDIAFINE]

Woni Cut Only One Pack And Then Returned To Opening The Cards Normally. Contrary to impressions created by some viral posts, Woni did not spend the livestream repeatedly destroying Pokémon cards. After the single stunt, she returned to opening the remaining packs conventionally and continued discussing and collecting the cards. [KOREA DAILY / OSEN]

The Livestream Attracted As Many As 70,000 Simultaneous Viewers. Woni’s Pokémon card-opening broadcast became a significant piece of RESCENE content even before the controversy, reportedly reaching approximately 70,000 concurrent viewers. [SPORTS SEOUL]

There Is No Evidence Woni Cut The Pokémon Cards As An Anti-Japanese Statement. Available reporting shows the card cutting occurred as a suggested pack-opening stunt during a Pokémon-focused livestream. No verified statement or action from Woni established an anti-Japanese motive, and Korean coverage characterized that interpretation as an unsupported extrapolation from the shortened viral clip. [MK SPORTS]