Rapper Noel took the stage for the first time since the passing of his father.
On the 3rd, Noel made a surprise guest appearance on rapper Yang Hong-won's stage at the 'Hip-hop Playya Festival 2025' held at the KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
That day, Noel, sporting a bleached blonde hairstyle and wearing a hat, took the stage in casual attire and sang his hit song 'Ballin' with Yang Hong-won.
Noel said, "Today, I got to come together with Hong-won hyung. I want to come together again next time. I'll sing a song I released recently," and performed 'Pass Out' and 'It's You.'
In particular, 'It's You' is an impressive song with lyrics expressing longing for a departed lover, but Noel pointed his finger towards the sky to match the lyrics "I loved you." After seeing this, netizens speculated that Noel was paying tribute to his father, former lawmaker Jang Je-won, who passed away recently.
Meanwhile, Noel's father passed away on March 31. That day, former lawmaker Jang Je-won was found dead at an officetel in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.
In November 2015, while serving as the vice president of a university in Busan, former lawmaker Jang Je-won was accused of sexual violence against his secretary, A, for allegedly committing quasi-rape. However, the deceased strongly refuted A's claims and emphasized his innocence.
In response, on March 27, A's side released a video believed to have been recorded in a hotel room in Gangnam at the time. They planned to hold a press conference on April 1 to explain the details of the accusation. However, former lawmaker Jang Je-won was found dead the day before the press conference following a police investigation.
After experiencing the loss of his father, Noel opened up through his account, stating, "I took care of my father for three days with great sincerity. On the day of the funeral, the weather was unusually clear and warm, and I still do not know whether I should feel happy or sorrowful; the feeling of sadness does not seem to resonate within me yet."
He expressed, "It was an extremely frightening, overwhelming, depressing, and heartbreaking time. However, looking back, I realize that I have made many mistakes in my life, and I deeply reflect on them. I believe this will serve as an opportunity to become a responsible person who knows how to care for precious people, whether as a head of family or as an adult. From now on, I will live even more vigorously."
[Photo] Live capture
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