Group Shinhwa member Kim Dong Wan posted a piece on social media advocating for the legalization of prostitution and faced fierce criticism. As the controversy spread, Kim Dong Wan ultimately deleted his social media account.
Recently, an online community shared a screenshot of a post Kim Dong Wan uploaded to his social media on the 17th, sparking controversy. In the post, Kim Dong Wan wrote, "In trying to eliminate entertainment districts, the whole country is becoming an entertainment district," and added, "Looking at entertainment districts in front of churches, in front of schools and in front of police boxes, I can't help but have questions."
He went on to say, "We must acknowledge and regulate it," and argued, "Given the reality of growing single-person households, we must not let it pass with the logic of 'just cover it up and it will be fine,' " thereby revealing his view on legalizing prostitution.
When one user replied cautiously, "Collecting taxes seems right, but I'm not sure legalization is correct," Kim Dong Wan responded, "The reason I think it should be legalized is that there are people who can't help themselves without paying money," and added, "It's also true from the perspective of disease control," escalating the controversy.
When another user elaborated at length about the need to introduce a government-run brothel system, Kim Dong Wan reacted, "Could you say it a bit shorter? About four lines?" drawing criticism that he was thoughtless.
After Kim Dong Wan's remarks became known, criticism from fans and netizens followed. Reactions mixing disappointment and anger poured in, saying, "I can't accept the logic that entertainment districts in front of schools exist because they weren't legalized," "This is among the worst remarks I've seen so far," "It's disorienting and appalling," and "What was he thinking when he said this?"
As the controversy intensified, Kim Dong Wan deleted his social media account without offering any particular explanation. The post itself cannot currently be directly verified, but traces of the writing still remain through portal searches and online screenshots.
Meanwhile, past remarks by Kim Dong Wan resurfaced amid the controversy. In 2021 he posted a video of singer Lee Soo's performance on social media and wrote, "When will I be able to hear Lee Soo's voice from the audience?" After it was reexamined that Lee Soo had once received a suspended indictment on charges related to underage prostitution, Kim Dong Wan became embroiled in controversy over appearing to defend him.
When criticism mounted at the time, Kim Dong Wan initially responded mockingly, and as the controversy grew he eventually deleted the post and published an apology saying, "My judgment was clouded by excessive drinking and I hurt many people."
Kim Dong Wan's remarks, which lightly mentioned the sensitive issue of legalizing prostitution, are being criticized as a lack of awareness of social responsibility that goes beyond freedom of expression. Although the deletion of his social media account seems to have brought the matter to a close for now, public disappointment is unlikely to subside easily.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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