Ko Young-wook, who became the "first celebrity with an electronic ankle bracelet" after raping a minor, is drawing flak for remarks that attack not only former Roola members but also YouTuber Pungja, dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook and others.
Ko Young-wook posted a long message on his personal SNS account on the 19th after meeting the head of Roola's agency.
He said he "met Roola's president that day and we had a great time talking a lot about the old days," and added, "When the show wouldn't book the then-unknown Tak Jae-Hoon, Roola said they wouldn't appear either. So because of Tak Jae-Hoon, Roola had no choice but to ride the 'Young-ja bus' together."
He continued, "When the president traveled abroad, he often took Tak Jae-Hoon, who was idling. The president told Tak Jae-Hoon to deliver the birthday present he bought me, but in the middle he silently shoplifted my bag gift from me," adding, "Tak Jae-Hoon, Roola guys, do you think you could rise to where you are now without the president? If you want to do the last duty, contact the president and be sure to visit him. The president may not have much time left."
On the same day Ko Young-wook did not hesitate to make personal attacks against YouTuber Pungja. Sharing an article about Pungja's diet, he said, "I don't know whether the bar for the broadcasting world has been lowered or diversified. All kinds of people are active, and it's bitter." He referred to Pungja's appearance on SBS's variety show My Little Old Boy and sneered, "I turned on the TV for a moment and then hurriedly turned it off. 'My Little Old Boy' is something else."
On the 20th, Ko Young-wook shared news about Lee Chan-jong, who was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting a junior trainer but acquitted, saying, "He was someone who liked watching 'TV Animal Farm'; it's late but fortunate," and compared his own departure by saying, "'TV Animal Farm' ultimately cut ties too quickly with someone who had helped the program as much as the corner 'Dog Personality Era' that featured my mother and my dogs, even though that person would ultimately be acquitted."
He even targeted Kang Hyung-wook's remarks, who denied involvement when trainer Lee Chan-jong's case implicated a 'famous trainer,' writing, "At the time trainer Kang Hyung-wook was probably a green junior, but he rudely spoke harshly toward trainer Lee Chan-jong, even calling him 'that guy' just because he was briefly suspected. Shouldn't he work on training his own character before dog training?"
This is not the first time Ko Young-wook has mentioned the entertainment industry on SNS. He previously fired off targeted remarks at broadcasters Shin Dong-yeob and Yu Jae-seok. Despite overwhelming public criticism directed at Ko Young-wook, he continues to attract attention by posting targeted remarks on SNS.
Ko Young-wook debuted as a member of Roola in 1994 and continued to appear on various variety shows, including TV Animal Farm, after the group's breakup, but was expelled from the entertainment industry in 2012 after being implicated in three cases of raping minors. In 2013, after proceedings that reached the Supreme Court, he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, ordered to wear an electronic location tracking device for 3 years, and to have his personal information disclosed and notified for 5 years.
Afterwards, Ko Young-wook was released after serving his full term in July 2015, had his electronic ankle bracelet removed in 2018, and when the period for disclosure of personal information ended in July 2020 he opened personal SNS accounts, revealing his lingering desire to return to the entertainment industry. He also launched a personal YouTube channel in August 2024, but that channel was closed by YouTube.
The public has responded with criticism and coldness toward Ko Young-wook, who seems to have forgotten such faults and pours out complaints about those around him rather than showing remorse. He points out others' faults one by one, so when will there be any reflection about the dishonorable label "the first celebrity with an electronic ankle bracelet"?
[photo] OSEN DB.
[OSEN]