Composer and broadcaster Yu Jae-hwan received a fine in the appeal trial on charges of sexual assault. Meanwhile, his recent appearance, showing noticeable weight gain after the controversy, has drawn attention.
On the 16th, the criminal appeals 3-1 division of the Seoul Southern District Court held a sentencing hearing for Yu Jae-hwan, who was indicted on charges of sexual assault. Yu Jae-hwan is accused of sexually assaulting victims he met after posting a message in June 2023 saying he would create songs without charging composition fees.
At the trial that day, Yu Jae-hwan drew attention with an appearance different from before. With his hair dyed orange and wearing glasses, he surprised observers by appearing heavier than not only when he had lost 30kg through dieting but also compared with earlier times.
Earlier, at the first trial held in November last year, the court found Yu Jae-hwan guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 5 million won. Both Yu Jae-hwan and the prosecution filed appeals after rejecting the verdict. In the appeal trial, the prosecution sought the same one-year prison term as in the first trial, while Yu Jae-hwan's side claimed factual error and expressed his grievance.
In his final statement, Yu Jae-hwan reportedly said, "I am deeply remorseful. Because of this situation, it has become difficult to find employment and I am suffering financial hardship, and many people may recognize me so it is difficult to go outside," and he argued, "If the victim's testimony becomes consistent evidence, please also note that I am giving a consistent testimony."
Despite these mutual claims, the court rejected the appeal and upheld the original ruling. The court said, "We find the original judgment proper. There appears to be no reason to change the sentence. The defendant's claim of unfair sentencing is difficult to accept." It was also reported that after the trial ended, Yu Jae-hwan repeatedly expressed his grievance to reporters and said he would appeal to the Supreme Court and fight to the end.
Meanwhile, Yu Jae-hwan gained recognition by appearing on MBC's Infinite Challenge music festival in 2015 and achieved significant popularity. He later appeared on various entertainment programs and grew in popularity, and participated in composing tracks for albums by Park Myung Soo as well as Celeb Five and Oh My Girl. However, after allegations in 2024 of skipping composition fees and recycling music releases, sexual assault allegations also surfaced, and he has since halted his activities.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]