Singer Yu Seung-jun, who left Korea amid controversy over evading military service, expressed his thoughts on malicious comments, but public sentiment still appears cold.
On the 13th, Yu Seung-jun uploaded a video to his personal YouTube channel titled "Do you still believe I cursed? Yu Seung-jun quietly brought up a story, I will say just one thing to those who still curse me." Contrary to the long title, in about 10 minutes Yu Seung-jun mentioned malicious comments and the AfreecaTV profanity scandal.
First, he criticized malicious comments, saying, "Please don't leave malicious comments. I'm the type whose mental health is strong, but even so, who wouldn't be hurt. No matter how much someone deserves criticism, you shouldn't say things like 'go die.'"
In particular, Yu Seung-jun said, "What hurt me so much is that celebrities are sensitive to those hurtful words. We are the same people," adding, "We are all the same people. I am hurt by what you are hurt by, and I am upset by what upsets you," and, "No one has the right to speak easily to anyone," warning against indiscriminate malicious comments toward entertainers.
He said, "I will accept reasonable criticism and rebukes. The consequences of my issues live through my life and will be something I carry for the rest of my life," adding, "But there is no one who can speak lightly about another person's life."
He then put on magnifying glasses and mentioned the profanity scandal. In 2015, while making a candid broadcast on AfreecaTV, Yu Seung-jun was criticized at the end of the broadcast when profane conversation was aired. In the conversation between Yu Seung-jun and his staff that contained profanity, Yu Seung-jun claimed that it was the then-producer, not him, who uttered the profanity.
Yu Seung-jun emphasized, "The voice that cursed was not my voice. My live was cut off and when the staff's voices came out, you could hear the curse. The producer's voice at the time was broadcast. But people keep saying that the one who cursed was my voice. They turned something that wouldn't be a controversy into one and painted me as someone who curses when the camera is off. This is not pleading but stating the facts."
He defended himself over being embroiled in controversy during his prime in Korea, saying, "When I was active in Korea, I was a thoughtless young man in my 20s. I still feel immature and feel I need to live more of my life, but did you all know everything and do everything in your early 20s? I didn't. Now I don't intend to take rebukes about myself too heavily for my own sake. But it's not easy."
Yu Seung-jun debuted as a singer in 1997 and received great love with numerous hits such as "Scissors," "Nanana," "Passion," "Love song," "I love you, sister," and "Vision." However, in 2002, when he was about to enlist, he suddenly acquired U.S. citizenship and was expelled from Korea amid controversy over evading military service.
After 24 years, public sentiment in Korea toward Yu Seung-jun remains cold. Aside from a small number of fans, many internet users have turned away and criticized his appeal against malicious comments and his defense regarding the profanity scandal. Although Yu Seung-jun continues to try to maintain contact with Korea through YouTube, it still seems distant.
[Photo] Source: YouTube.
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