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[Sports Chosun Reporter Yuna Lee] On the 20th, the police applied for a travel ban on four people including singer Kim Ho-joong (33), who is accused of a hit-and-run incident. The Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing the approval status.
Kim Ho-joong is accused of hitting a taxi on the opposite side of a road in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul at around 11:40 p.m. on the 9th and leaving the scene without taking any action (suspected of hit-and-run and failure to take action after an accident under the specific crime aggravation and Road Traffic Act). Immediately after the accident, Kim Ho-joong’s manager falsely claimed to the police that he was the one who caused the accident. Kim Ho-joong did not return home and went to a hotel in Gyeonggi Province. After 17 hours, he attended the police station and admitted to driving under the influence after the police’s investigation.
However, he had been denying drunk driving all along. As the evidence of drunk driving continued to surface and public criticism intensified, Kim Ho-joong admitted to drunk driving only after ten days of the accident on the 19th after finishing a performance in Changwon.
Kim Ho-joong admitted to drunk driving through his agency, Seung Entertainment, on the 19th, and stated, “I drunk drove. I deeply regret and reflect on it. I will sincerely cooperate with the police investigation.” He further apologized, saying, “I sincerely apologize to many people for causing hurt and disappointment with my moment of misjudgment.”
He also published an apology letter on the official fan cafe, expressing, “I am truly sorry for causing great pain to our Alice family members because of this incident” and “I am well aware that even a sip of alcohol should not be coupled with driving a vehicle. I am truly disgusted by my foolish judgment that has caused so much pain to many family members.” He added, “If a person who has committed a crime talks too much, what’s the point? When the investigation is over and all the results are out, I will return to my home here. I sincerely apologize, reflect, and will continue to reflect. To not let down our family’s dreams, there seems to be nothing but living diligently.”
However, there is a growing movement on online communities demanding ticket refunds and compensation through a collective civil lawsuit. Despite the controversy surrounding the hit-and-run incident, Kim Ho-joong proceeded with a concert at Changwon Sports Park Indoor Gymnasium on the 18th and 19th, earning 3.7 billion won in revenue. They argue that due to Kim Ho-joong’s admission of drunk driving, the quality of the concert and the singer’s image have been compromised, disappointing ticket buyers.
Furthermore, the appearance of ‘World Union Orchestra Super Classic: Kim Ho-joong & Prima Donna’ scheduled to be held at Seoul Olympic Park KISP Dome on the 23rd and 24th has also been canceled. The host, KBS, demanded a change of performers due to the hit-and-run suspicion and drunk driving allegations against Kim Ho-joong. The ticket prices for the concert range from 150,000 to 230,000 won, with all 20,000 seats sold out for the two days.
However, with less than a week left until the performance and the difficulty in finding replacements, along with a significant number of ticket buyers being Kim Ho-joong’s fans, the chances of the concert being canceled are high. Refunds for tickets as well as compensation to the organizers are expected to amount to a considerable sum.
In addition, there are possible consequences such as breach of contract penalties for various scheduled event appearances and unpaid fees for advertisements, resulting from a single moment of wrong choices made by Kim Ho-joong and his agency.
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