Actor Choi Hyun-wook is under fire for a controversial fastball pitch directed at a child batter, with the child's mother speaking out about the incident.
The mother, identified as Ms. A, commented on a social media post featuring the pitch video on October 11, stating, "I am the mother of the child who participated in the pitch. I believed it would be conducted safely, but looking back, it was truly alarming."
The incident occurred on October 9 during a playoff game at Incheon SSG Landers Field. Choi, wearing sunglasses, threw the ball energetically from the mound, but it veered off course, narrowly missing the child's head. The crowd reacted with shock and gasps at the near-miss.
As the video spread online, some netizens criticized Choi for not immediately apologizing to the startled child.
Facing mounting criticism, Choi issued an apology on October 10 via a fan communication platform, saying, "I was really nervous, and the ball slipped. I will apologize directly to the child and their parents if I can reach them. I should have thrown the ball slowly if a child was standing there, but I didn't think of that. I'm truly sorry."
The controversy did not subside easily. Around the same time, it was revealed that Choi followed a controversial online account, further fueling the backlash. The account mentioned, "(Choi Hyun-wook) followed us after watching reels at 5 AM, which made us like him personally."
Born in 2002, Choi Hyun-wook is signed with Gold Medalist, the agency known for representing Kim Soo-hyun. He debuted in 2019 with the web drama 'Real:Time:Love' and gained attention for his acting skills. However, he has faced several controversies, including a fine for littering cigarette butts in 2023, criticism over inappropriate behavior with a woman, and posting a revealing photo on Instagram, which he quickly deleted.
In light of these incidents, netizens have reacted coldly, saying, "Is it this actor again?", "Not surprising anymore", "He has talent but needs to manage his character and private life", and "He seems to stand out in controversies among his peers." Choi is set to appear in the upcoming Netflix series 'Notes from the Last Row.'
Reporter Lee So-jung, TenAsia forusojung@tenasia.co.kr