In the midst of a controversy over the appearance of Wave's 'Your Dating' participant Ri Won on a past 'Bun Bang' (where participants undress while broadcasting), allegations have emerged that he made inappropriate suggestions to another participant.
On the 1st, Han Gyeol posted, 'During the filming, there were no romantic feelings between me and the participant (Ri Won), only an exchange of friendship. I hope the significance of the viewership is not tarnished due to misunderstanding,' adding, 'After the broadcast, my contact with the participant was limited to exchanging greetings.'
'Later, I received a suggestion to go abroad together, initially understanding it as a simple travel invitation. However, as I heard more specific details like dining dates, I realized it was an inappropriate suggestion crossing the line. I clearly conveyed my refusal,' he said.
Han Gyeol mentioned, 'I would like to emphasize that I am not the only one who received a similar suggestion. False claims about having moved on from the past should not be used as a facade to easily induce sexual orientation in this industry.'
However, Ri Won directly refuted Han Gyeol's claim, saying, 'The part about the 'overseas schedule' he is referring to was simply a light-hearted exchange about traveling to that country while discussing similar food preferences during filming. It was a simple promise made in front of the camera.' He added, 'But I understand that as someone who has hidden my past, my words lack credibility. Therefore, I even included evidence out of desperation. However, I masked all names to prevent secondary damage to anyone.' He then revealed their KakaoTalk messages.
The disclosed photos contain the KakaoTalk conversations exchanged with another participant from 'Your Dating.' One participant expressed anger, saying to Ri Won, 'You're saying you cared about me until the end? You're pulling a similar romance. What's the title of the Billboard official who promised to introduce me? You can't say it because you just changed the setup according to the target, right?'
In response, Ri Won said, 'No, that person is really the head of the Billboard Korea team, and they are the representative of my influencer agency. I know that it must have felt uncomfortable and disgusting for you to have that chemistry while I was on air with my dirty past. I've been feeling sorry for it and still do. I will ask the producer if we can edit it as you wish. I'm really sorry.'
Regarding this, Ri Won stated, 'I am well aware that the broadcast I participated in was inappropriate and an action that should be criticized socially. Therefore, I absolutely did not involve the same participant in that incident and do not intend to do so. And if there is anyone who wishes to leave this industry but doesn't know how, please contact me. I will sincerely help within my means.'
He continued, 'I must stress again that the broadcast I participated in was wrong, and I do not support this industry. Darkness should not emerge into the light; I agree and accept all statements that it is harmful to youth.' He promised, 'Therefore, I assure you, after this program ends, I will never show my face in media in Korea again. I will live in hiding to ensure that no one feels uncomfortable or burdened again.'
Finally, Ri Won expressed, 'Most of all, I sincerely apologize for having tarnished the reputation of other participants who took a long time to consider appearing on this program and gathered great courage to appear. I also bow my head in sincere apology to the production team, who worked tirelessly to create a program for sexual minorities.' He added, 'I'm sorry that my appearance caused unpleasant noise even for those who just wanted to quietly watch the broadcast. I apologize once again. I am really sorry.'
Meanwhile, Wave's original reality show 'Your Dating' focused on the romantic lives of lesbian women, and since its first broadcast, participant Ri Won had previously worked as a BJ on adult internet broadcasts, leading to claims that he is not actually a homosexual.
In this regard, Ri Won revealed, 'I have conducted private content broadcasts for a total of 3 years, specifically for 2 years from 2016 to 2018, about 4 months from November 2021 to March 2022, and about 7 months from February 2024 to September 2024. During the broadcasting activities, I went on a total of 6 meal dates, and all meetings were healthy dining without physical contact.'
Regarding sexual identity, he stated, 'I am a woman who loves women. I first realized my sexual orientation in middle school, and my first relationship lasted seriously with a woman for 2 years and 6 months. However, later, due to my desire to deny myself, I met both women and men.'
[Photo] Broadcast capture, broadcast poster.
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