Comedian Lee Jin-ho is once again at the center of controversy. A year after acknowledging illegal gambling charges and entering a period of self-restraint, he was this time caught by police on suspicion of drunk driving. Public disappointment is growing over the consecutive illegal acts.
On the 24th, agency SM C&C issued an official statement saying, "We confirmed with Lee Jin-ho himself that he did drive under the influence in the early hours today," and "He completed a police investigation at the time of his apprehension and is currently awaiting disposition." The statement added that "Lee Jin-ho acknowledges his wrongdoing without excuse or excuse and is deeply reflecting," bowing his head.
Earlier, a media outlet reported that Lee Jin-ho was arrested by police after driving about 100 km in a drunk state in Incheon following a report. In fact, the Yangpyeong Police Station in Gyeonggi Province said it arrested Lee Jin-ho at around 3 a.m. that day in Yangpyeong County and that it confirmed the drunk driving through interregional cooperative investigation.
The problem is that Lee Jin-ho already had a record of causing social controversy last year over illegal gambling charges. He is known to have squandered hundreds of millions of won on online illegal gambling, and the amounts he borrowed from fellow entertainers and lend companies alone are said to total in the 2 billion won range. Shockingly, among the entertainers he borrowed money from, names such as BTS member Jimin, comedian Lee Sugeun, and singer Ha Sung-woon were mentioned, causing great shock.
At the time, Lee Jin-ho uploaded a long apology on his social media saying "I will repay the debt with my own strength until I die," and he left all broadcasts and entered self-restraint. However, only a year later he again faced the judgment of the law for drunk driving, raising doubts about the sincerity of his repentance.
Internet users reacted coldly, saying, "It wasn't self-restraint, he just kept quiet for a while," "After gambling and now drunk driving, it seems hard to turn back," and "A typical example of an entertainer who betrayed the public's trust."
After illegal gambling comes drunk driving—the fall of Lee Jin-ho, once a beloved variety star, shows no sign of ending
[Photo] "OSEN DB
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