After what felt like an interminable wait from Kim Hyun Joong‘s agency Keyeast in responding to the news reports that the police was investigating the singer-actor for assault and battery on his girlfriend, the agency has just released an official statement that reeks of spin. Sadly even the most adept spin doctor can do nothing in mitigating the damaging allegations of this case other than for it to be completely false and he’s never met the accuser in question much less beat her up in the context of a romantic relationship. The fact that Keyeast went radio silent for over a day before responding is telling – Kim Hyun Joong is in Thailand for a concert so the agency knows how to reach him and if the allegations were false then one quick phone call and one vehement denial would be sufficient for the agency to release the usual strong statement of denial and vow to counter-sue for the false accusations. You know the drill.
The fact that Keyeast did neither logically concludes that it was massaging the statement to come up with something as plausible and mitigating for their star. I’ll translate the statement below but I’m quite sad actually. I really was quite fond of Kim Hyun Joong after he was Baek Seung Jo in Playful Kiss, the first drama I ever recapped and totally the reason why I kept on writing about K-dramas. He’s not a good actor by any measure but I saw improvement from Boys Before Flowers to PK and he was actually quite decent in Age of Feeling (Inspiring Generation). My impressions of his acting career notwithstanding, this whole incident is enough to make me write him off going forward even if he was a Baeksang winner and South Korea’s best actor. The domestic violence case is still pending and the full investigation needs to take place, but going by his agency’s statement which corroborated the most critical elements of the allegations, common sense and logic tells me I won’t be able to enjoy watching him act anymore.
Keyeast confirmed that the accuser in question is Kim Hyun Joong’s girlfriend but countered that they only started dating recently though they have known each other since 2012. The agency admitted that the two got into a “physical altercation” that started with a very heated argument that turned physical. The agency denied that there was habitual or continuous physical violence and it was a one time incident. As for the broken rib allegation, the agency claimed that the girlfriend did get a broken rib but it wasn’t recent and happened awhile ago when the couple was fooling around and she didn’t even know about it since she went out the next day with her girlfriends. Keyeast is upset that all the reports so far have been one-sided and plans to cooperate fully with the authorities in their investigation so the full truth is revealed. For now Kim Hyun Joong will complete the tour dates that he’s scheduled for and afterwards will focus on dealing with this case.
As a lawyer it’s my job to focus on the confirmed facts and pierce through wordsmithing bullshit so let’s get to it. This isn’t going to be pretty for fans still wishing oppa didn’t do it but here are the facts as been agreed upon by both sides.
1. The accuser is not some delulu fangirl or psycho with a grudge, she is in fact Kim Hyun Joong’s girlfriend. Maybe not current girlfriend since she is pressing charges against him so chances are they are broken up, but she was his girlfriend during the alleged incidents. Keyeast wanting to clarify that they only dated recently and not since 2012 like the girlfriend is claiming is important – the shorter the dating duration the less the girlfriend can allege continuous or repeated physical abuse. But it’s also a fact that the two have known each other since 2012. I think this fact can end all arguments that Kim Hyun Joong is being framed or set up by a crazy girl who he doesn’t even know.
2. She did get beat up and the first physical violence incident is true, the one that led to the girlfriend being hospitalized for two weeks with injuries to the arms, legs, chest, and buttock. She submitted to the police a hospital report so there is documented evidence that she was hospitalized, for how long, and for what injuries. Keyeast is explaining it as a verbal fight escalated into physical but stressed it was a solo incident. Er….that’s all it takes to be an abuser. And that is not an explanation or acceptable excuse at all! Unless Kim Hyun Joong is dating She-Hulk, chances are he’s bigger, taller, and stronger than her. The facts also show that in the incident in question, Kim Hyun Joong clearly walked away just fine since he was out doing all his promotional activities and star gigs. Whereas she ended up in the hospital for two weeks. Even if the fight was mutual and both went at each other, that is no excuse for the stronger individual to lay a beat down to subdue the other. The only acceptable reaction to an escalating fight is to WALK AWAY and end it.
3. She did have a broken rib – I can’t even discuss how anyone with a brain is going to believe she broke her rib due fooling around with Kim Hyun Joong, whatever that entails. Unless Kim Hyung Joon is secretly a MMA fighter who doesn’t know his strength and their foreplay involved reenacting scenes from his last drama Age of Feeling where she plays the thugs he’s fighting onscreen, then there is no fucking way a rib is ever broken in mere fooling around between two average adults doing normal playful things. Don’t believe me, read this article. Then we are told she didn’t notice the broken rib is so preposterous I can’t even. I’d fucking notice if I got an owie on my pinky, much less cracking a rib on my rib cage that is intended to protect all my major internal organs. So Keyeast claims that the rib was broken in an earlier incident unrelated to the admitted physical violence incident, and she was so unaware that only later did she go to the hospital to get treated for 6 weeks for the injury. Epic fail spinning into a dead end, Keyeast.
I’m just glad that the girl in question got medical treatment for her injuries and got out while she’s still alive. Partner abuse is the classic example of a frog in slow boiling water, starts small and slowly escalates before the victim realizes the extent and severity of the abuse. This time I have a really strong opinion and one doesn’t need to wait for the full investigation since the facts as admitted by Keyeast is enough for me to say buh bye to Kim Hyun Joong.
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InB4 the innocent until proven guilty people - that an agency is admitting all the key facts is all the proof of guilt that you need. They're scared and will probably try to buy this girl off.
Well people were pointing fingers even before there was a statement by Keyeast agency...that is something I have a problem with.
However, the agency's statement coupled with supposedly new evidence presented by dispatch taboid/'news'(that I'd rather see confirmed by police rather than a tabloid) if true, make the accuser's case much stronger. With the way it looks, Kim Hyun Joong's career is in jeopardy.
I am seriously praying for this girl not to give into Keyeast if they do try to buy her off. If the accusations are true (which is more than likely) then she needs to go through with this case.
Well this makes watching any of his dramas impossible. Listening to any of his music and even that of SS501 is hard as well. I've lost a lot of respect for him now. As much of as I'm a fan of his, this is unacceptable. As you said he is likely to be bigger and stronger than his girlfriend so he should have been the bigger person and walked away. He'll probably be able to have a career still but it'll will be like Chris Brown to me, I like his music but I feel so conflicted listening to it.
The fact that the agency didn't even try to sell an exterior cause for her bruises (hiking accident!) Is telling. Can he even finish his tour? Surprised the police didn't summon his ass in Korea ASAP.
Really a sad affair for everyone involved.
This is actually what did it for me. Many cases the agency will deny or give other possibilities but Keyeast didn't do that. It's quite telling--he did something horrible and they're scrambling to fix it.
I admit this one has me STUNNED. I am not a fangirl at all, but I have always liked KHJ since his time in WGM. I TOTALLY bought that whole "gentle 4d guy" image. Wow...just wow. I hope he doesn't get away with this.
The worst part about him admitting to doing it while "playing" is the fact that he is such a big guy. They call him a flower boy but if you pay attention he is not typically slender like most flower boys with the just for show abs. He is broad shouldered and pretty muscular even when he isn't ripped. There is no way his girlfriend was a physical match.
Disgusting.
I am irritated at the girlfriend for reporting the incident only because she found him cheating. What's is wrong with the woman? She should have reported him right away after she ended up in hospital instead of 'reconciling' then going public much later because he cheated again.
Clearly hell has no fury like a woman scorned but she put herself in danger and it is lucky she didn't end up being killed. And it smacks of blackmail. Stop being pathetic girl! Grow a spine with your rib and get out of violent relationships! You may not be so lucky the next time!
I am terribly disappointed with KHJ - I liked him best next to LMH in BOF. This is a huge reminder that what we all fantasize about in the kdrama world are the products of imagination of a writer out there - reality may actually suck!
Eh no he beat her because she confronted him about him cheating. Then she reported it.
What I mean is she didn't report him because he cheated but because he beat her. I'm not sure why you thought it was that way.
You sound ignorant of the cycle of abuse and somewhat sexist tbh.
OMFG you are actually blaming the victim here?!?!!? Are you f**king serious?!?!? I bet you slut-shame rape victims too. Why don't you read up on domestic violence and learn about how abusers are able to take control and convince their victims to remain silent before you go posting such a completely ignorant and hateful comment like that. I truly hope that nobody you know ever becomes a victim of domestic violence, because they clearly will NOT have a decent support system in you. You disgust me.
I am blaming her for not reporting him the first time she was hit after she confronted him - instead she 'reconciled' with him. This was what I read in some of the reports that it wasn't the first time as DQ pointed out.
She only reported him when he beat her subsequently after another confrontation.
Women need to learn to walk away from the relationship once violence kicks in! You can't hope to change a man who thinks the only way to resolve issues is to bully or intimidate.
No second chances - your second chance may be a permanent rest if he beats you up so badly that you die from it!
No man is worth that!
Hi Ceecile - I am angry with her not reporting him the minute he was violent with her but only after he cheated on her a second (or more) time. this is how a lot of victims of violence end up in the mortuary - but staying in the relationship. I am not under the impression she reported him only because he cheated on her.
Violence in a relationship should never be tolerated. She should have walked out the first time he laid a hand on her - she is lucky she didn't even up being killed like a lot of women who stay in violent relationships in the hope that the man will change for her.
Come on he is KHJ so that girlfriend must be harping all hopes he will repent and be her nice handsome bf after 1st incident. 2nd incident got her hospitalized for 6 weeks maybe that's a wake up call for her to be alive and be ex gf rather than dead and his gf
am not a fan of his but he does strike me as a hardworking, dedicated person. and for that kind of personality to impose his strength over another person, it's quite disturbing. it's just sad how news on entertainment personalities' behaviours (alleged or otherwise) are getting worse, and of course, these are just the ones that get to the media. i think it's becoming an indication of how much pressure the industry dynamics are putting on its artists. even the thought of these agencies trying to spin and cover up these issues are getting convoluted. sad.
Alcohol involvement and stress explains his aggressive behavior. His fridge was full of alcohol. When he is drunk who knows what he is capable of
Alcohol may well have been a factor. It may be an explanation but should never be used as a justification. What I mean is that just because he was drunk, it doesn't mean his actions are excusable. I have spent many many years living with someone with a drinking problem. That person was fine when sober, but turned into a raging monster when drunk. The next day, they would act all normal, saying they couldn't remember what they did when drunk. That was total bullshit.
Well they basically admitted that he is guilty. Their defense regarding the broken rib is ridiculous! I hope justice will be served. He's probably going to lie low and enlist in the army.
I dont think his life in the army will be easy on him. Women beater is just not a admirable trait, I think he may get into trouble in the army. But on the other hand, if he is convicted of the crimes, he will likely be jailed first. Public outrage on this case is quite big in Korea, if he is found guilty, I dont think the judge can let him out with just a warning. The injuries on the victim sounds very bad.
I think it's disgusting that they are trying to suggest that the broken rib was during 'rough play'. It reminds me of the Central Park murder case when the guy claimed he strangled the girl during rough sex.
It will be interesting how other celebs will react to his case.
I am pretty shocked that he just basically admitted like, "No big deal, I cracked her ribs . We physically fought some times. Now she wants to cry about it. rme." WTF is that statement? is his fans acctually believe this crap ?!! and And they say she did not notice she'd been hurt too. The way they describe her, you'd think she's the incredible hulk or something.!!
Well, we all know who gets the benefit of the odds now. I'm actually a bit sad to see such a talent go to waste. He IS a good singer. His agency's vague admission only proves that they're doing as much as they can to stop any more news from breaking or facts coming to fore.
I'm still not sure why Keyeast isn't dumping his disgusting ass as soon as they heard most or all of the allegations were in fact, true. It's baffling - both KHJ's actions and the following statement. The official stance are in the lines of - yea, there was physical violence, but since it isn't as often as she's claiming it to be, you all should just forget it happened.
WOW.
I'm admittedly shocked there aren't a hoard of fangirls coming to his rescue unlike in PSH's case. I do admit the waters there were much more muddy, but still. I expected a lot more support for a bigger Hallyu star.
PSH's fans are known to be in the whole different level than most of normal fangirls
A lot of rape cases are "he said she said" unless there is physical evidence of violence, which there was not in PSH case. Thus, it's a lot easier for fangirls to hand wave away a PSH situation and say that they believe PSH that this was a consensual encounter.
In a situation where a long term girlfriend has hospital reports that show severe physical damage and where even the star's agency does not deny he is responsible, it becomes much harder to take the usual "oppa didn't do it" line.
Let me put it this way - if one really wants to believe PSH is innocent, there is wiggle room to allow a fangirl to keep her delusions. With KSH, it would require not just some willful blindness but active denial of the facts.
Why bring PSH name in this case. At least, the best thing about this case is We don't hear the testimony of A,B,C..Z unlike PSH's case! And The progress of this case does not appear everyday!! And NO media circus!
seriously, people get dumped by agencies and banned from tv for smoking marijuana. Physical abuse of a woman is an even more serious matter, I'd expect to see a lot of cancelled CFs for him now.
And he better not even try to make a comeback on Korean tv, the public is clearly not having any of it.