Kim Sung Cheol apologizes for interacting with controversial account doing provocative posts on Kwon Eunbi

Kim Sung Cheol has apologized after interacting with controversial SNS post sparked backlash. His agency expressed regret and pledged to be more cautious in future. Read more.

By Iqra Siddiqui

Updated on Feb 03, 2025 | 05:09 PM IST | 26.3K

Kim Sung Cheol: Courtesy of Kim Sung Cheol Instagram

Actor Kim Sung Cheol has issued an apology after facing criticism for his involvement in a social media controversy. The actor acknowledged his mistake and expressed deep regret over the situation, which arose from his participation in an online poll that featured questionable content related to female K-pop idols.

Recently, Kim Sung Cheol came under fire after he was found to have engaged with a voting post on a controversial social media account dedicated to girl group members. The post in question included video clips of K-pop stars Kwon Eunbi and Kang Hyewon’s stage performances, but what sparked controversy was the way the video had been edited. A slow-motion effect was applied to certain parts of the footage, deliberately focusing on and exposing the artists’ bodies in a way that many deemed inappropriate and provocative.

As the post gained attention, fans and netizens began expressing their disappointment, criticizing the participation of a well-known public figure like Kim Sung Cheol in such content.

The backlash grew, prompting the actor’s agency to step in and address the matter. In response to the controversy, Kim Sung Cheol’s agency, Story J Company, released an official statement on the morning of February 3. Speaking to Star News, the agency explained, “We had no idea that the SNS post was related to controversial or provocative content. After realizing the issue, we immediately canceled it”.

The agency also took responsibility for the incident and apologized to those affected. “We sincerely apologize for the careless action that seems to have caused harm to the artists mentioned in the content. We have already delivered an apology through the artists' agencies”, the statement continued. The agency shared that following a great deal of concern caused due to the mess, they felt sorrowful. In addition, assurances were made that far more caution would be exercised in future social media activities to ensure that such mistakes would not be repeated.

Amid the ongoing discussions surrounding the controversy, Kim Sung Cheol remains active in his professional career. The actor is currently engaging audiences with his performances in the popular musicals Jekyll and Hyde, and Monte Cristo.