The controversy surrounding singer Kim Ho-jung’s hit-and-run incident is escalating, as suspicions of lies and switching drivers are emerging. It is not just a simple hit-and-run case, but there are growing suspicions of drunk driving as well. Amidst this, Kim Ho-jung’s agency has decided to proceed with a scheduled concert, leading to a surge in criticism towards Kim Ho-jung.
The incident itself is straightforward. Kim Ho-jung is accused of colliding with a taxi after crossing over the center line while changing lanes in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, at around 11:40 p.m. on the 9th. The police have booked Kim Ho-jung for violation of the Road Traffic Act (failure to take necessary actions after an accident) two days later and are conducting an investigation.
The main controversies revolve around two issues: switching drivers and drunk driving. Two hours after the accident, Kim Ho-jung’s manager in his 30s, Mr. A, went to the police claiming he had caused the accident. However, the police confirmed that the vehicle involved in the accident belonged to Kim Ho-jung, not Mr. A, and it was Kim Ho-jung who was driving. This led to allegations of driver switching, which the agency initially denied, citing communication issues between Kim Ho-jung and the manager. Kim Ho-jung’s side claimed that the manager, upon learning of the situation, went to the police station on his own and confessed that he was the one driving. They insisted that Kim Ho-jung was unaware of the manager’s confession.
However, it became undeniable that Kim Ho-jung did not know about Mr. A’s confession, as it was confirmed that Mr. A was wearing Kim Ho-jung’s clothes when going to confess. The agency has not yet released a statement regarding this incident.
Following the hit-and-run incident, the issue of drunk driving arose before the suspicion of driver switching. Although it was confirmed that Kim Ho-jung did not drink alcohol based on police alcohol tests, suspicions of drunk driving linger due to the escalating hit-and-run case, the significant collision evident from CCTV footage, and the fact that the alcohol test was conducted 17 hours after the accident. Additionally, Kim Ho-jung’s car’s black box memory card is missing.
After news of the accident spread, online communities were flooded with opinions questioning why Kim Ho-jung would cause such a major accident and flee if he was not drunk, and why he only showed up at the police station the next day. The police plan to focus on tracing Kim Ho-jung’s activities on the day of the incident.
Amidst this situation, the public backlash against Kim Ho-jung has been exacerbated by the announcement from Kim Ho-jung’s agency, Think Entertainment, that they will proceed with the upcoming concert as planned. Think Entertainment stated on their official fan cafe, “The ‘T’Baroti Classic Arena Tour 2024’ in Changwon/Gimcheon and World Union Orchestra Super Classic will proceed as scheduled,” and reassured that they would do their best to protect the artist and keep him safe under any circumstances.
When Think Entertainment’s official statement spread through online communities, netizens criticized the decision, calling it absurd to hold a concert in a situation where self-restraint should be considered and accusing the agency of ignoring the public and relying solely on the fan base.
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