Hwang Young-woong, happiness circuit amidst controversy

Singer Hwang Young-woong, who left MBN's 'Burning Trotman' due to a previous conviction for assault, was hit with the aftereffects of another controversy. He took the mound in person and announced his position.

On April 1, Hwang Young-woong wrote on his fan cafe, "Thank you so much for believing in me and protecting me. Seeing the support you gave me, I felt an overwhelming feeling that cannot be expressed in words. And if there is anything I can do, I will do everything I can in the future. “I have decided that I want to live by paying back those who have given me credit,” he wrote.

He said, “It is true that I briefly wondered if I could live a quiet, normal life if I just gave up on singing. But thanks to you, I gained courage and the determination not to give up on singing.” He added, “It must have been as difficult for you as it was for me. However, he was more upset than me and thought of it as his own, so I was so grateful and reassured that I cried, and at the same time, my heart ached. From now on, I will live a better life while thinking of all of you who supported me."

He continued, "I definitely plan to apologize to those who said they were hurt by my mistakes in the past. If those friends allow it, I would like to sincerely apologize as soon as possible. Regardless of the facts, it is painful just to look at me. “I think the fact that I became a painful memory for my friends is reason enough for me to apologize,” he added.

Recently, Hwang Young-woong's controversy was covered through MBC's 'True Story Expedition'. Hwang Young-woong's fans even called the production team to protest. Regarding this, Hwang Young-woong said, "I don't want anyone to suffer damage or make noise because of me anymore. Please post messages about me on the broadcast bulletin board, complain to the broadcasting station, or fight those who criticize me. It's something I should be thankful for, but even that seems like a very painful thing to me now. Why do you get negative attention and why do you have to be criticized because of me? All of that is difficult for me to handle right now. “I think so,” he asked.

Hwang Young-woong said, “I feel like I want to meet each and every one of you right now, hold hands, and sing a song to you, but I think I have to ask you to wait a little longer. When I can reflect on myself more and sing confidently in front of you, “I will come back with a good song. I will come back as a better person. Until then, I hope you do not get sick and stay happy.”

Prior to this, on the 31st of last month, Woori Entertainment announced the news of a contract with Hwang Young-woong. The agency said, "We have been closely understanding the issues of Mr. Hwang Young-woong from various angles since March when the formal contract was signed, and most of the incidents occurred several years ago and were often reported by third parties rather than the parties involved. “We ask for your understanding as it takes a lot of time to accurately determine the facts. We will find out the exact facts as soon as possible and tell you in detail.”

The agency said, "Mr. Hwang Young-woong expressed his intention to offer a sincere apology to those who say he has been harmed in the past. Even though it has been several days since the suspicions arose, there are issues with his contract with the broadcast production company and his transfer to the agency. As a result, Mr. Hwang Young-woong expressed his apology for not being able to directly apologize or take action as there were various restrictions on his ability to take any actions. He also expressed his wish to contact the parties directly and apologize if they allow it." did.

In addition, "Above all, as mentioned in a certain broadcast, Mr. Hwang Young-woong spent his school days being beaten and having money stolen from him by other friends, and the things he did caused great harm to someone that he could not erase, and also “I am most distressed, regretful, and reflecting on my ignorance in not recognizing that this was an issue that could cause major social repercussions.” “It is a clear crime that cannot be dismissed as a childish act, and there is no room to dispute that it is a social evil that our society must eradicate,” he said.

The agency said, "He himself was ignorant of the weight of school violence, and after becoming an adult with an established sense of self, he did not cause trouble with his indiscriminate actions, and when he started singing, he became emotionally stable and his past self was no longer visible." “Considering that people around him who have experienced the current Hwang Young-woong are telling us this, we ask you to consider that when Hwang Young-woong participated in ‘Burning Trotman,’ his attitude was already very different from his childhood.”

The agency said, "Mr. Hwang Young-woong was close to an ordinary person with little broadcasting experience, so he also has a lot of guilt and fear due to the current series of events, and has suffered a lot due to his wandering from his teens to early twenties." "I feel great pain that my family, who have endured it, are once again subject to criticism due to this incident. I will gladly accept criticism for my mistakes," he said.

The statement from the agency responsible for Hwang Young-woong and his management appears to be nothing more than an ‘appeal’. Hwang Young-woong said he planned to apologize to those who were hurt by his mistakes. Although he did not know when he caused harm, it can be interpreted that he later apologized and showed his will to continue his activities. Hwang Young-woong asked to wait a little longer, and the agency said that there was no room for objection, but that they were feeling guilt, fear, and great pain. Although it is not right now, it seems to be running a circuit of hope that it will return 'someday'.

Kang Min-kyung, Ten Asia reporter kkk39@tenasia.co.kr