Fiestar member Cao Lu appeared on the popular MBC variety show "King of Mask Singer," sparking controversy once again.

On the April 16th episode, Cao Lu participated as a contestant and was unmasked after a disappointing loss in the first round. This marked her first appearance on Korean television in about three years. She shared updates on her life, saying, "After my contract in Korea ended, I went to China and spent quality time with my parents. I worked in Korea for 14 years, but after seeing my mom's hair turn white, I thought I should be with her."

Cao Lu added, "I missed Korea while living in China," and explained that she participated in a Chinese comedy audition program. She expressed gratitude to her Korean seniors who appreciated her comedy act, which unfortunately did not receive a positive response in China.

Despite her long-awaited return to television, the public's reaction has been cold. In 2016, Cao Lu posted on Weibo, "China cannot shrink even a little bit," in response to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling that China's claims in the South China Sea dispute with the Philippines had no legal basis.

Moreover, some viewers expressed displeasure seeing her wearing a hanbok, a traditional Korean outfit, as China has been trying to claim it as their own.

On April 9, "King of Mask Singer" received criticism for facilitating the return of Horan, who had been on a self-imposed hiatus following three instances of drunk driving. The show's producers apologized, saying, "We failed to meet the strict and rightful expectations of our viewers. There is no excuse for this. The mistake was made entirely due to our poor judgment." They promised to introduce stricter criteria for casting guests and to be more attentive to viewers' feelings and the current societal sentiment to prevent such issues from recurring.

Viewers are once again disappointed with the show for stirring up controversy just two weeks later.

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