POLL: Most Notorious Korean Celebrities This 2024 Revealed

The Korean entertainment has been at it again, fanning a seemingly endless list of its “worst” for 2024.

As part of Joy News 24’s celebration of its 20-year anniversary, the survey asked a pool of 200 practitioners in the field to name those who have made the most fuss this particular year.

The surveys were held during a period when the public was awash with scandals of drunk-driving and hit-and-run violations, lawsuits and drug use allegations from Sept 30 to October 08, 2024.

Korean entertainment’s top “worst” figures

Kim Ho Joong

The singer took the number one spot with 50% of the votes as his manager’s drunk-driving incident evolved into a large-scale investigation.

It turned out that Kim was actually at the wheel, which he later took responsibility for but attracted massive criticism for handling this.

He is being sentenced for his actions, with the prosecution having sought three years and six months.

Bang Si Hyuk

The chairman of HYBE, Bang, received more than 25 percent of the total votes cast for him after internal documents and the disturbing content his company produces led to public outrage against him.Whispers of those demanding his head never quite go away.

Min Hee Jin

The former CEO of ADOR, Min Hee Jin, who has been involved in numerous legal disputes with HYBE, tired a lot of industry experts.

Kang Kyung Joon (because he’s a cheater, an affair-having actor)

Kang Kyng Joon’s scandal erupted in January 2024 when messages uncovering his infidelity came to light, bringing an onslaught of public backlash, though his wife opted against divorcing him.

Jung Joon Young & Yoo Ah In

Jung Joon Young was released from prison in March after serving time for rape but faced criticism for attempting to open a restaurant in France.

Another celebrity who made headlines for his drug scandal is Yoo Ah In, who was recently given a one-year prison sentence for propofol abuse.

Juice Seyeon & Seungri

Juice Seyeon had her content questioned after being seen with HYBE’s chairman, while six years later, Seungri cooked up a scandal of his own.

Seungri is still a controversial figure in South Korea even after the “Burning Sun Scandal” belatedly made headlines, and that has recently been re-confirmed with coverage for his actions once again by media outlets.

This year’s survey reflects the Korean entertainment industry’s struggle with accountability in the wake of high-profile scandals.

What can you say about the story? Share your comments below:

Rovelyn Barba