Words by Andros Resurreccion • September 17, 2026

Non-fiction • News

Department of National Defense of the Philippines (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. is gaining unexpected attention among South Korean netizens or “K-netz” following his fiery exchange with Chinese delegates at a security forum in Seoul.

Teodoro drew widespread praise online after responding, “Mahiya naman kayo!” (“Kaulaw sad gamay!“)  during the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) on September 8, 2026. The remark came after Chinese delegates raised a note questioning the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award.

The Philippine defense chief’s blunt response struck a chord with South Korean social media users, some of whom applauded the way he expressed his frustration in plain, forceful language.

Philippine-based South Korean content creator Sunhee Lee was among those who shared her appreciation for Teodoro, posting about the exchange on social media as the remark gained attention online. Lee’s post quickly drew a stream of favourable reactions, with users sharing clips of Teodoro’s appearance at the Seoul forum and applauding his response. One commenter called the Philippine defense secretary “so cool,” while another said they wished their own prime minister could speak with the same level of composure and refinement.

Teodoro’s viral moment came after he received a note from an event staffer, reportedly from an unidentified Chinese delegate, outlining Beijing’s position on the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award. The Philippine official read the note during the Seoul Defense Dialogue and challenged China’s conduct in regional forums, arguing that its position ran against fundamental principles of international law.

He then underscored the importance of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNICLOS), while calling for proper conduct and mutual respect in multilateral discussions.

With his headline-making retorts gaining traction in Seoul, Teodoro revisited the moment during the 2nd Manila Strategy Forum, organised by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Parañaque City on September 10. He made clear that his response had not been rehearsed or carefully calculated.

“That was an instinctive reaction, by the way, and nothing great about it. I mean, it’s instinctive. I think anyone in his or her right mind with a basic sense of values and a basic sense of norms would react,“ Teodoro said.

He also argued that the international community had spent too long accommodating Beijing’s conduct, suggesting that excessive restraint had allowed such behaviour to continue.

“The world has been coddling them and indulging them too much, and they abuse the courtesy shown to them, and I might as well call it out,“ he added.

Teodoro kept the handwritten note as a piece of memorabilia, a souvenir from a diplomatic showdown he is unlikely to forget anytime soon. There is something undeniably entertaining about him. Recently described as “among the loudest voices protecting the Philippines’ maritime rights” by Rolling Stone Philippines, Teodoro is like WWE Legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, but a good guy version. This feels like his unexpected debut on pop culture, and perhaps even a moment with enough international flavor to travel beyond it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andros Resurreccion is a student at the La Consolacion University Philippines.