Comedian-turned-broadcaster Hong Jang-won has belatedly confessed to his second DUI. Although he emphasized self-reflection while managing a YouTube channel with 700,000 subscribers, he is facing criticism for having concealed the DUI for about 50 days and for not being a first-time offender.
On the 18th, Hong Jang-won posted a lengthy apology on his personal YouTube channel 'MZ Project.' He confessed that he was recently caught driving under the influence and that legal proceedings are currently underway.
He emphasized his guilt for having concealed it for over 50 days and revealed that he had received a license suspension and a fine for DUI in 2006. He stated that, aside from the apology, he would halt all activities on 'MZ Project' and take an indefinite period of self-reflection.
'MZ Project' is a YouTube channel with approximately 700,000 subscribers as of the 19th. Established on March 10, 2020, Hong Jang-won has attracted subscribers by presenting various content, including podcasts. The sudden halt in activities has also drawn significant attention. Additionally, the revelation of Hong Jang-won's two DUIs has caused further shock and criticism.
Hong Jang-won debuted as a comedian with SBS's 9th open recruitment. He is classmates with currently active comedians Hong Hyun-hee and Shin Gi-ru. As such, Hong Jang-won has participated in various broadcasts starting with the SBS entertainment program 'Laughing People' and has been active as a YouTuber since 2020 through 'MZ Project.' Therefore, the two DUIs and his belated confession have sparked further controversy.
In his apology, Hong Jang-won explained, "I was caught driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.065 while returning home near my house on June 28. There was no accident or harm to others, and I was alone in the vehicle when I was caught. Currently, legal proceedings are underway. I understand the final result will come out in 1 to 2 months."
He also stated, "Driving under the influence is a clear crime for which there can be no excuses or justifications, yet I committed it. As a broadcaster living on the trust and support of my viewers, it was behavior that I should never have engaged in." He revealed, "I was also penalized with a license suspension and fine 19 years ago in 2006," which has led to further criticism as a repeat offender.
In relation to this, Hong Jang-won said, "At that time, I was even more foolish than now, and I did not fully realize the gravity of my wrongdoing or reflect on it. As a result, I ended up committing the same crime again." He added, "I confess all my sins to you and apologize. I have committed an unforgivable mistake. I sincerely apologize."
Most importantly, he expressed, "And more than the sins I have mentioned, the greater sin is that after being caught for DUI, I continued to conduct my broadcasting activities for over 50 days without being honest with you and pretending nothing was wrong." He stated, "I know this is a more significant wrongdoing than the DUI itself. I was afraid of betraying those who supported me. I was afraid of hearing criticism from the public. I was afraid of being the one responsible for ruining the livelihoods of my staff and numerous participants due to my mistake." He apologized to his fans.
In fact, after the second DUI was detected, Hong Jang-won continued to post content on 'MZ Project,' leading to criticism. He added, "I will mobilize all methods at my disposal to make my best efforts for those who suffered or were hurt because of me. In that regard, I will find a responsible way to return any revenue generated from my YouTube and broadcasting activities over the past 50 days. Furthermore, I will halt all my channel and broadcasting activities and take an indefinite period of self-reflection."
[Photo] source: SNS and YouTube.
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