[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] Lee Jong-hyun, formerly of CNBLUE, has shared an update for the first time in eight years since being ousted from the group.
On the 10th, Lee Jong-hyun posted several photos on his account along with the message, "I am Lee Jong-hyun. I left this account untouched for eight years."
In the released photos, Lee Jong-hyun is seen working seriously in a company office. He also appears to be fully adjusted to ordinary life, communicating comfortably with his coworkers.
Lee Jong-hyun said, "My account was hacked, and I have requested changes to my ID and profile introduction. There were a few years when I shut myself off from the world. After that, I learned how to work in order to live. For the past eight years, I have been professionally involved in beauty marketing, finding it enjoyable, even if on a small scale."
He added, "This is what my days look like now. I attend meetings, examine products, and think about how to do better. I leave in the morning and come home at night. I have realized how difficult it is to live by working normally. I think everyone is amazing. From now on, I will live as Lee Jong-hyun the person and communicate with more people."
Lee Jong-hyun debuted in 2010 as a member of CNBLUE and rose to fame with hit songs including "I'm a Loner." He also worked as an actor, appearing in the KBS2 drama "Orange Marmalade" alongside Seolhyun of A.O.A.
However, in 2019, he became embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that he had been a member of the so-called "Jung Joon-young chatroom."
The "Jung Joon-young chatroom" refers to a sexual crime case that took place in a KakaoTalk group chat that included Jung Joon-young, former BigBang member Seungri, and former F.T. Island member Choi Jong-hoon. Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon were arrested on charges of gang rape after allegedly getting women drunk in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province, in January 2016 and in Daegu in March of the same year, in violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes and on aggravated quasi-rape. Jung Joon-young was also accused of distributing illegally filmed footage 11 times in the chatroom. As a result, Jung Joon-young was sentenced to five years in prison, and Choi Jong-hoon received a sentence of two years and six months.
When it emerged that Lee Jong-hyun had been part of the chatroom, he denied the allegations through his then-agency, FNC Entertainment, calling them "groundless." However, SBS News8 reported that Lee Jong-hyun had also viewed illegally filmed footage with Jung Joon-young and others and had engaged in conversations degrading women, deepening the shock.
Against this backdrop, allegations surfaced in August 2019 that Lee Jong-hyun had made sexually harassing remarks to internet broadcaster Park Min-jeong via social media, including comments such as "Your belly fat is so cute." The controversy intensified. In the end, Lee Jong-hyun was effectively expelled not only from CNBLUE but also from the entertainment industry. However, now that he has cited "hacking" as the reason for his return after eight years, some are suggesting that he may be testing the waters for a comeback.
Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
