The band Na Sang-hyun's agency denied past sexual assault allegations.
The agency of Na Sang-hyun's band, Renuary, stated on the 2nd, "We apologize to those who have felt confusion and discomfort due to recent exposé posts regarding our artist Na Sang-hyun. We also apologize for the delay in our statement due to the absence of an internal system for such matters."
The agency explained, "The artist posted a statement proactively based on moral responsibility, even in a situation where the facts had not been fully confirmed immediately after the report was made public. This response stemmed from the artist's belief that, faced with someone's claims of harm, it is better to first express an apology regarding the controversy raised than to remain silent."
It continued, "After closely reviewing the artist and the situation, we confirm that the actions mentioned in the post are not true," and added, "The time mentioned by the artist referred to the period of reviewing and improving lifestyle habits when alcohol consumption increased. We only recognized afterward that the expression could be misunderstood as an acknowledgment of the incident."
The agency stated, "We deeply apologize for the confusion caused by our attempt to convey our feelings without sufficient explanation, leading to misunderstandings about the facts," and bowed their heads, saying, "Once again, we sincerely apologize to the fans who were shocked by our inadequate response and to the various stakeholders who were concerned due to this incident."
Lastly, we respectfully request that you refrain from making indiscriminate speculative comments and slander about the members of Na Sang-hyun's band, and we are in the process of establishing a response system by appointing legal counsel. We will do our utmost to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
Earlier, a post claiming to be a victim of sexual assault by Na Sang-hyun of Na Sang-hyun's band appeared on an online community. The author claimed, "At a drinking party, pretending to be drunk, he touched the thigh of a woman next to him, and when she was sober and questioned it, he was surprised and said it was a mistake," adding, "I am writing this based on what I experienced and heard. I am vague to avoid being identified. I apologize. There is no evidence as this was in a private setting."
Afterward, Na Sang-hyun expressed on social media, "I deeply apologize for the delay in my statement," and said, "First, I sincerely apologize to the author of the post and to anyone who may have felt discomfort or displeasure due to my past actions." He stated, "In the past, I unintentionally hurt the author in a situation where I do not clearly remember the specific circumstances after drinking. I am even more sorry that I could not directly apologize at that time. I apologize here, even if belatedly. I know it is late, but I still want to extend a personal apology. I would appreciate it if you could send me a private message if you are okay with that. Please refrain from any secondary harm towards the author." Following this, Na Sang-hyun's band faced backlash, with scheduled festival performances being canceled in succession.
Following is the full statement from the agency.
Hello, this is Renuary Co., Ltd.
We apologize to those who have felt confusion and discomfort due to recent exposé posts regarding our artist Na Sang-hyun. We also apologize for the delay in our statement due to the absence of an internal system for such matters.
First, the artist posted a statement proactively based on moral responsibility immediately after the report was made public, even when the facts had not been fully confirmed. This response stemmed from the artist's belief that, faced with someone's claims of harm, it is better to first express an apology regarding the controversy raised than to remain silent.
After closely reviewing the artist and the situation, we confirm that the actions mentioned in the post are not true.
Additionally, the time mentioned by the artist referred to the period of reviewing and improving lifestyle habits when alcohol consumption increased. We only recognized afterward that the expression could be misunderstood as an acknowledgment of the incident. We deeply apologize for the confusion caused by our attempt to convey our feelings without sufficient explanation.
Once again, we sincerely apologize to the fans who were shocked by our inadequate response and to the various stakeholders who were concerned due to this incident.
Furthermore, we respectfully request that you refrain from making indiscriminate speculative comments and slander about the members of Na Sang-hyun's band, and we are in the process of establishing a response system by appointing legal counsel. We will do our utmost to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]