HWANG YOUNG WOONG
Singer HWANG YOUNG WOONG’s team has responded to the controversy regarding cash support from fans.
The law firm Doyak, legal representative of HWANG YOUNG WOONG (hereinafter referred to as “Hwang Young Woong’s team”), issued a statement on the official fan café on July 19:
“We offer our sincerest apologies and sympathy to the fans for the confusion and concern caused by the SBS broadcast of Curious Story Y (궁금한 이야기 Y) aired on July 18, 2025.”
That day, HWANG YOUNG WOONG’s team addressed the controversy raised in the previous day’s episode regarding cash donations. The program reported that since late August 2023, 1 million won (approximately €680) had been withdrawn six times a day from a bank account created for fundraising purposes related to group album purchases for HWANG YOUNG WOONG. Over a period of 22 days, more than 120 million won (approximately €82,000) was said to have been withdrawn. The former financial administrator of the fan café, referred to as “A,” stated that this money had been handed over to HWANG YOUNG WOONG at the request of certain fans as financial support.
In response, HWANG YOUNG WOONG’s team stated:
“The account in question was managed by the fan café administration for the voluntary collection of donations, separate from the group album purchases. Due to withdrawal limits imposed by ATMs, the funds were withdrawn in several transactions. The full amount was handed over to the singer by the fan café team, and this has been confirmed.”
They added:
“Part of this sum was properly reported and donation taxes were paid according to the law. The former financial manager kept accurate records, and a review by a tax expert confirmed there were no irregularities.”
Furthermore, they clarified:
“As also mentioned in the program with regard to other artists, even though the donations were declined several times, they were eventually accepted before the official start of activities. The fan café, driven by exceptional love for the artist, gathered large amounts of support. We will correct any improper practices and make sure such issues never arise again.”
They also criticized the production of Curious Story Y:
“We were only given the opportunity to respond two days before the broadcast. SBS sent a fact-checking request on July 16, 2025—just two days prior to airing. This means the interviews and editing had already been completed, and we were given only a minimal chance to respond. We deeply regret that the fundamental principle of providing sufficient opportunity for rebuttal was not upheld.”
As a result, HWANG YOUNG WOONG’s team announced that they would be taking multiple legal actions, including:
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filing a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission,
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initiating civil and criminal lawsuits against SBS and the individuals who provided testimonies,
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and requesting a correction of the program’s content.
To recall, HWANG YOUNG WOONG participated in the 2022 competition show “Burning Trotman” on MBN but withdrew after allegations of school bullying, physical assault, and a criminal record surfaced.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Fan café et SNS HWANG YOUNG WOONG
