<img alt="Left = Choi Min-hwan, Lee Hong-ki / Right = FT Island Lee Jae-jin, Lee Hong-ki without Choi Min-hwan (Lee Hong-ki’s social media)” class=”thumb_g_article” data-org-src=”https://t1.daumcdn.net/news/202410/27/newsen/20241027105134518yoxn.jpg” data-org-width=”600″ dmcf-mid=”1AYlXXMUMc” dmcf-mtype=”image” height=”auto” src=”https://img1.daumcdn.net/thumb/R658x0.q70/?fname=https://t1.daumcdn.net/news/202410/27/newsen/20241027105134518yoxn.jpg” width=”658″/>
Left = Choi Min-hwan, Lee Hong-ki / Right = FT Island Lee Jae-jin, Lee Hong-ki without Choi Min-hwan (Lee Hong-ki’s social media)
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Band FT Island’s Lee Hong-ki released a photo confirming a two-member concert with Lee Jae-jin, without Choi Min-hwan, who was embroiled in prostitution suspicions.
On October 26, Lee Hongki left a message on his personal social media, “Thank you so much. I got a lot of strength today from my best friend. I think it’s fortunate that we were able to meet in person and talk about the things we wanted to talk about.”
He added, “We will meet in person and talk to our friends who will meet us in the future. Because it is better to communicate without misunderstandings when we meet rather than write. Thank you so, so much. FT Island Forever.”
The photo released by Lee Hong-ki only contained Lee Jae-jin and Lee Hong-ki. Choi Min-hwan, who caused controversy due to suspicions of prostitution, participated in the concert only as a backstage performer and was not spotted.
Previously, on October 25th, Lee Hongki left a post on the fan community Weverse, saying, “It was their private life and it ended up like this. We need to admit that we did something wrong and bow our heads in apology. Still, we shouldn’t trust everyone too easily.” He then expressed his frustrated feelings, saying, “I have to protect and endure, that’s what we are. All I can do is move forward while getting hit by stones.”
The ‘private life’ mentioned by Lee Hong-gi seems to have taken into account the fact that the day before the posting, Yulhee from the group Laboum revealed that her ex-husband, FT Island member Choi Minhwan, sexually harassed her in front of her in-laws and frequented prostitution establishments.
On the 24th, Yulhee revealed through her personal channel that Minhwan Choi had sexually harassed her during her marriage, including going to entertainment establishments and sticking money in her chest while her in-laws were present. She also explained that she decided to divorce and tried to take her three children with her, but Choi Min-hwan said she would only pay 50 million won in alimony and 2 million won in child support, so she had to give up custody. After the divorce, they decided not to expose the children on broadcast, but Choi Min-hwan broke the agreement and appeared on KBS 2TV He revealed that he appeared in ‘The Return of Superman’. Afterwards, Yulhee released a transcript of a phone call believed to have been between Minhwan Choi and a male employee of an entertainment establishment. Choi Min-hwan continued to make comments that raised suspicions of prostitution, such as “Do you have a lady?” and also expressed his displeasure when the other person said, “Go play with your wife and children.”
After the video was released and a stir broke out, Choi Min-hwan withdrew from KBS 2TV’s ‘The Return of Superman’, in which he was appearing. Gangnam Police Station in Seoul received a complaint from Kookmin Newspaper requesting that Choi Min-hwan be investigated for violating the Special Act on Prostitution and began an investigation before being booked.
Choi Min-hwan’s agency, FNC Entertainment, released a statement saying, “We feel responsible for disappointing the public and plan to suspend all media activities.”
Meanwhile, Lee Hong-ki deleted the first statement released on the 25th, but on the 26th, a fan left a message on Weverse saying, “Please just know that no one wants to support the future of a person who visited a prostitution establishment.” “What if it’s not prostitution and not a brothel? Can you take responsibility for what you’re saying?” he said, once again revealing his discomfort.
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