Actor Kim Ji-ho, who sparked controversy for underlining library books, has been confirmed to have committed the same mistake in the past. Marking public library books is illegal. Some are questioning whether he might be a habitual offender.
On February 18, Kim Ji-ho posted on social media, sharing his thoughts on Kim Hoon’s collection of novels “Alone at a Distance” and mentioning that he had postponed returning it. The controversy arose from the attached photo, showing underlines with a pen in a book labeled with a public library sticker.
Marking library books with a permanent pen is considered damage to property and can be punishable by law, carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 7 million won. In 2022, a person who habitually vandalized over 50 library books was sentenced to 6 months in prison with a 1-year suspension.
Kim Ji-ho apologized, saying, “Although it was a book borrowed from a public library, I habitually underlined it as if it were my book because I wanted to remember it. I promise to either provide a new book for the library or cover the costs and offer my apologies.”
However, an online community mentioned that he made the same mistake in 2023, leading to continued criticism of him as a “habitual offender.” Kim Ji-ho had posted a photo of himself reading “The Last Lesson,” an essay by the late Lee O-young, the first Minister of Culture, with a library label visible on the cover.
Netizens responded, “It’s not just a one-time mistake, he must be a habitual offender,” and “We should check all the books Kim Ji-ho has borrowed.”