Tablo 이선웅

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May 2, 2010

Actress Kang Gives Birth to Girl

The celebrity couple of actress Kang Hye-jeong, 28, and top singer Tablo, 30, has become parents as Kang gave birth to a baby girl Sunday.

Kang delivered a healthy girl around 11:05 a.m. at a OB/GYN in southern Seoul. “Kang delivered a healthy girl. Both the mother and baby are in good condition,” said a person close to the couple said in a local daily on its Internet edition.

Kang was quoted as saying, “The baby resembles both mother and father. I will bring up the baby healthy.”

In a broadcast prior to the delivery, Tablo said,” I dreamed a tiger dream. A huge tiger blocked traffic in the center of the expressway as I got out of the car as the traffic jam was severe.”

The couple married in October last year.

Source: koreatimes.co.kr

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May 3, 2010

Kang Hye-jung gives birth to baby girl

Reporter.Lim Hye-seon Editor.Lynn Kim

Korean actress Kang Hye-jung and singer Tablo of Epik High [YG Entertainment]

Korean actress Kang Hye-jung, who is married to Epik High singer Tablo, gave birth to a daughter over the weekend, according to a press release by her agency YG Entertainment on Sunday.

Tablo also wrote on his Twitter account yesterday that "a beautiful baby girl was born on May 2, 11:05 a.m.", adding that "both Hye-jung and baby are healthy." The remarks were written just minutes after Kang gave birth on Sunday, or as Tablo called it, "the day of mysterious miracles."

The new father appeared ecstatic with the birth of their first child, saying "the sound of the baby's breathing is the most beautiful thing in the world" and thanked his wife, whom he described "the best woman in the world." The two, who started dating since meeting at Epik High's Christmas concert in 2008, tied the knot last October, when Kang was several months pregnant.

Known for taking risky, unconventional movie roles, Kang became a household name after appearing in the critically acclaimed film "Old Boy" by Park Chan-wook, which won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004.

Tablo is the leader of popular hip hop group Epik High, who debuted in 2003 with the album "Map of the Human Soul". The group gained popularity and critical acclaim with the success of their consequent albums "High Society", "Swan Songs" and most recently "epilogue".

Reporter: Lim Hye-seon lhsro@ Editor: Lynn Kim lynn2878@ <ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved> 10.asiae.co.kr

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June 7, 2010

Tablo Responds to Forgery Rumor on Twitter

Tablo posted a message on Twitter stating, "I am sad due to a rumor that I forged my educational background."

He continued, “From the beginning, I think that [the originators of the rumor] did not want to disclose a truth, they just wanted to express their hatred towards me...I am sad about this situation, that this kind of unfair incident can happen to me.”

Epik High’s Tablo (real name Lee Sun Woong, 30), who graduated from Stanford University in the USA, expressed his uncomfortable feelings towards some people who have suggested that Tablo had forged his academic background. He posted his feelings on his Twitter on June 3.

Tablo said, “Due to some people who attack me simply to attract interest, many people including myself, people in my school, other netizens, people working in the broadcasting industry and reporters have verified my academic background several times. The same thing already happened a few years ago, and, at that time, my educational background was completely proven. But, some people still deny every single truth and, what is worse, they are outspoken in criticizing me and my parents. They even made up a fictitious story and sent emails and letters to my family, which obviously made our family’s life difficult.”

He added, “I know that I have to endure all this, but I have thought that it is the attacker who needs to explain these actions. Some people cursed me with words that should not be spoken to me and my family, and demanded an explanation from me. What kind of explanation do I have to give?”

Tablo became a father recently as his wife and actress Kang Hye Jeong has given birth to a baby. He finished his statement by saying, “I just became a father and I am trying my best to live life to the full. I do not want to waste my precious time anymore.”

Tablo had sued a netizen for defamation last April. The netizen posted his claims online that Tablo lied about his academic background and the claim also contained other libel about Tablo’s whole family.

Source: KBS Global

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June 11, 2010

‘This is how you hunt witches’

Tablo talks about how a life can be nearly destroyed by malicious netizens

Tablo By Kang Jung-hyun

In the middle of fighting a cyber-witchhunt questioning his degrees from Stanford University, singer/actor Tablo sat down with the JoongAng Daily yesterday for an exclusive, two-hour interview in which he discussed family, his music career - and the ability of anonymous netizens to destroy both. Here are excerpts.

Q. Don’t you think you should have done something when the rumor first circulated?

A. I’m a musician and I’ve tried hard to become a musician, but people were always interested in the college I graduated from. But it was burden for me because [people and journalists] asked about my college. If I said yes [i graduated from Stanford], netizens told me I was being arrogant and I was always talking about my education. Because of these people’s reaction, I felt embarrassed to mention my education on television programs.

What I want to ask people is: “Do I need my transcript and diplomas to become a musician?” When it turned out that some entertainers fabricated their educational credentials a couple of years ago, reporters verified mine. So I thought I didn’t need to say: “See? I studied really hard.” Since I was verified a couple of times by reporters and TV programs, I assumed people wouldn’t buy those lies. I couldn’t even dream that so many people would think that I’m lying.

Why do you think these rumors became so prevalent over the past couple of days?

When I saw people were targeting my family with verbal abuse, I sued one netizen [who is accused of spreading rumors about Tablo in the first place] because I didn’t want my father to see all this. His health has been bad for so long. So I sued the guy, but took care to keep a low profile with it. But then one reporter wrote about it, and even people who were not even interested in me started thinking I was lying. I’m the one who sued for malice, and then I felt like I was being judged negatively.

The biggest question among people who are suspicious about you is whether you wrote a paper for your master’s degree.

As you know, every school in the United States has various systems. I don’t need to explain them all. There are some master’s degrees where you have to write papers, but under Stanford’s co-terminal program, I wrote about 20 to 30 pages of thesis for every subject, not like publishing a paper [under the co-terminal program]. There is one thesis I wrote about Andy Warhol. If people search the Web site of Stanford, they would know [all this] but a lot of it was lost in translation. People couldn’t read the English themselves. If somebody translated it for them, they’d believe it’s true.

How do you feel?

I feel damaged. I mean, the things people ask me. If I asked you what happened to you eight, nine, or 10 years ago, you wouldn’t be able to give me exact details. For people to expect me to remember every single last detail in my past, it’s impossible. They can say, “Hey were you really wearing this 10 years ago?” If I say I don’t remember, they say, “You’re hiding something.” If I say I think I was wearing a shirt, they say, “No you weren’t. I have a picture of you wearing a jacket.” This is a type of thing I’m going though right now. This is how you hunt witches, basically. This is how a witch hunt works.

What do you want now?

I don’t care about restoring my public image. What I really want is that no one else is victimized as I have been by a combination of anonymity and malice [in cyberspace]. I hope there will be no more damage to my family. I want my mom and dad to be able to keep their chins up. I hope I could focus on my wife. And for those who love my music and who got hurt by this, I hope they wouldn’t be hurt anymore.

Letters from Stanford faculties confirming Tablo’s attendance into Stanford University and a transcript

submitted by Tablo showing he earned BA with distinction and MA in three and a half years. His student

number is blurred for privacy. [Kang Jung-hyun]

By Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

Aggrieved singer battles nasty cyber lynching

JoongAng Daily confirms Tablo’s Stanford education

Tablo talks with the JoongAng Daily at its newsroom yesterday.

By Kang Jung-hyun

Hip-hop was considered a genre practiced by uneducated rough-and-toughs until Korean rapper Tablo broke onto the nation’s music scene in 2003 at the age of 23. Tablo earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Stanford University, and chose music over other lucrative careers, a fact guaranteed to gain notice in an education-obsessed country like Korea.

That attention has now backlashed on Tablo. For reasons unknown, netizens have formed a cyber lynch squad, insisting that Tablo faked his education credentials. One online community - “We Want Tablo to Tell the Truth” - saw its membership soar from 30,000 to 40,000 in a couple of days earlier this week. “I’m the type of person who loves a conspiracy theory, so I just laughed at first,” Tablo told the JoongAng Daily yesterday in his first interview with the media after the online campaign got out of control. “I thought nobody would buy all those rumors about me because they were absurd.”

The JoongAng Daily has examined Tablo’s college records and can confirm his Stanford degrees.

The Internet witch hunt has caused Tablo and his family extreme distress, he says - made even more diabolical because he’s done nothing to cause it. “One of my family’s home addresses was leaked onto the Internet and my brother also received about 10 threat calls. ”

Tablo, a k a Daniel Seon Woong Lee, earned degrees from Stanford in 2001 and 2002.

Netizens have waged a campaign questioning the singer’s education.

During a nearly two-hour interview, Tablo sobbed when he talked about his family. Tablo, now 29, tied the knot last year with actress Kang Hye-jeong, who is famous for award-winning films such as “Oldboy” (2003) and the couple has a 6-week-old baby daughter. “I want my mom and dad to be able to keep their chins up. Since my dad’s health is not good, I worry that this might be the last major event in his life.”

In recent years, two Korean entertainers killed themselves because of malicious postings on the Web. Actress Choi Jin-sil, once called “the dream of every man,” committed suicide in October 2008 and signer Uni in January 2007. “I don’t care about restoring my public image,” Tablo said. “What I really want is that no one else is victimized as I have been by a combination of anonymity and malice [in cyberspace].”

According to Tablo’s original college transcript, he earned a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in English on May 4, 2001 and a Master of Arts in English on April 4, 2002, through a co-terminal program, in which students study for their master’s degree before finishing their B.A. Asked what paper he wrote for his master’s, which is one of the biggest questions on the Internet, Tablo said: “I wrote about 20 to 30 pages of thesis for every subject. It’s not like publishing a paper [under the co-terminal program].”

The transcript also showed he earned 16 credits of advanced placement from high school and another 12 credits from summer classes at New York University, which let him finish the program in three and a half years.

The JoongAng Daily also contacted Stanford University and obtained letters confirming Tablo’s degrees. One is from Tobias Wolff, Stanford’s Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor of English, and the other from Thomas C. Black, associate vice provost of student affairs and university registrar at the college.

Wolff, a well-known author, wrote: “This is to certify that the records of both Stanford University and the English Department clearly demonstrate that Daniel Seon Woong Lee (pen name Daniel Armand Lee), now known as the musician Tablo, received from us both a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction, and a Master of Arts.”

By Sung So-young [so@joongang.co.kr] joongangdaily.com

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June 14, 2010

Tablo: 'I Did Not Lie, But I Became Swindler'

Tablo: "At first, I did not want to ask people to trust me because I did not lie at all. But, I thought that I might not be able to keep my family safe unless I disclose my university report card."

Tablo (real name Lee Sun Woong, 30), who graduated from Stanford University in the USA majoring in English Literature, expressed his complex feelings after he had presented documents as evidence to refute the argument concerning his allegedly forged academic background. He looked confused because he had to prove his innocence by presenting evidence for an “accident,” which became an issue simply by some people who posted malicious statements that Tablo might have forged his educational background.

In 2007, the case of Shin Jeong A, who deliberately forged her academic background, had made the headlines. Tablo’s academic background has been suspected of forgery as well, so he had been asked to “explain” the situation. He was interviewed through a phone call on June 11, and his voice through the phone cracked and faltered as if he had been so exhausted by this incident. According to the various documents, such as report card that he presented, he entered Stanford University in September 1998, earned a bachelor’s degree in April 2001, and a master’s degree in April 2002. He explained that he could acquired a bachelor’s and master’s degree only in three and a half years thanks to the “co-terminal” program of Stanford University. He said, “Usually it takes five to six years to finish this co-terminal program, but I could finish the course in three and a half years.” Also, regarding the question from some netizens that he did not submit a master’s dissertation, he answered, “The discipline regarding dissertation differed depending on schools, the course that I finished does not require a dissertation for graduation, instead, I had to present many research papers for each subject that I registered for the course. I submitted many papers on Andy Warhol, and so on.”

The argument that Tablo might have forged his education background had become a bigger issue as the originator had suggested questions on his educational background intensively many times. The originator had posted massages repeatedly saying, “Tablo’s name cannot be found in the list of the graduates of Stanford University.” What is worse, an internet website entitled “We want the truth for Tablo” was created. Tablo had sued a netizen for defamation last April that he and his family were under personal attack, but according to a spokesperson of his agency, police had traced the IP of the originator and found out that the originator lives in a foreign country and had used another person’s ID using someone else’s resident registration number illegally, so it is difficult to find the originator.

Tablo expressed his feelings by saying, “I tried not to care about the trolls and sued the originator silently, but it was reported by the media. My family’s address and telephone number were disclosed on the internet and there was a threatening call to threaten my life. It was too big a criticism for me and my family, which was caused only because I am an entertainer.” He confessed that he had to go through hard times mentally because of those incidents. He continued to say, “One day when I go out, some students pointed the fingers of blame at me. I did not lie and there is nothing that I did wrong, but suddenly I became a swindler in this world. There's even a news article saying that the advertisement that I and my wife appeared to stop broadcasting due to the rumor that I forged my academic background, but actually it was simply because the contract term has expired. But, I think that nobody believes me even though I say the truth.” He says that he might need time to cure his wounded mind and pull himself together, so he might not be able to compose music for a while.

He said, “The dean of my university told me that he is willing to have an interview if people keep distressing me, but even though I can clear myself of the false rumor, I think that it might be hard for me and my family to heal our mental hurt. My father, who had been ill for a long time, and my mother might have had her heart broken. I am so sorry for people who have loved my music, but I might need a long time before I can make music again."

Source: KBS Global

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August 4, 2010

Tablo to sue netizens over Stanford diploma

Is singer Tablo’s Stanford degree still an issue? Unfortunately, it still is.

Law firm Kangho, Tablo’s legal representative, announced on Tuesday that Tablo will pursue legal action against some netizens whom Tablo claims to have stretched the truth about his years at Stanford. Consequently, what used to be a fight online is now to take place at court.

Though this action is the strongest response Tablo has ever taken in the past three months, he is still careful in his fight. As much as he wants his privacy to be appreciated, he wishes to appreciate those of the anonymous. “Netizens will be granted a grace period for a week. We hope to exclude as many innocent people as possible” stated attorney Pyo Jong-nok, who is in charge of the case.

The significance of this dispute lies in the involvement of the Public Prosecutors. “Because the gravity of the offense of the netizens depends on facts, the prosecutors’ investigation is crucial and inevitable,” said Pyo.

However, looking at the continuing mess, a question remains: will the public then believe?

It’s not like efforts haven’t been made to prove his innocence. An alleged fellow classmate of Tablo has tried to prove his innocence through Facebook (social network like Twitter) but to no avail. The debate has continued even after Stanford released Tablo’s graduation certificate through its Twitter page.

“I hope the legal action will turn the case into a better direction,” Tablo said. More facts will be available after the grace period, during which netizens are encouraged to delete rumors and false statements online.

Source: kwh8121@gmail.com koreatimes.co.kr

Tablo threatens legal action

Tablo, a member of the hiphop trio Epik High, is threatening to take legal action against people who continue to claim that his degree from Stanford University was falsified.

His academic records were confirmed by Stanford officials in an article printed in this newspaper on June 11.

“We will not take this to court right away, but people who posted rude and libelous comments should delete them within a week in order to avoid facing charges,” Kang Ho, Tablo’s legal representative, said in a press release on Monday.

Tablo has refuted allegations that his degree from the American university is fake since rumors to that effect began circulating in November.

“There is no doubt that Tablo received a degree from Stanford University,” Kang said. “Some are maliciously trying to make the truth seem false, which has lead to significant material and psychological damage to my client.”

Source: http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2924158

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August 26, 2010

Stanford confirms Tablo graduated from the school

Stanford University homepage

Stanford University carried an article featuring the controversy surrounding Daniel Lee, well known as Tablo in Korea, on its homepage.

This article was titled “Rapper-poet DANIEL LEE returns to Stanford to clear his name.” Introducing Tablo as a rapper-poet of the Asian hip-hop group Epik High, the article said Tablo, along with a crew from MBC, was on campus last week.

“The visit is part of Lee’s continuing effort to prove that he attended the university and to clear his name,” it said. It said, “Lee, who graduated from Stanford in 2002 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, has been the subject of Internet rumors among so-called netizens who accuse him of lying about his Stanford degree.”

Stanford expressed regrets about the rumors, despite his school official and professor verified that Lee was a Stanford graduate. “My document has a legal bearing here in the United States,” Black was quoted as saying. “I could go to jail if I were to falsify the document. The ignorant mob, I’ll call them, is just spewing poison for no reason,” Tom Black, university registrar, was quoted as saying.

Tablo and his wife, actress Kang Hye Jung

Black was among those interviewed by the MBC broadcasters on Thursday and had the opportunity to talk further with Lee, 29, who says the controversy has been exhausting and discouraging for him and his family. “I think Daniel is doing very well,” said Black. “He feels very reassured. He saw how we received him – as did the film crew – and he found friends that knew him even while walking around,” the report said.

MBC plans to broadcast the program on Tablo around Sept. 24.

Source: koreaherald.com

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October 8, 2010

Tablo’s Stanford diploma confirmed

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldm.com) koreaherald.com

Police to arrest manager of anti-Tablo online community

(Captured from MBC)

　　Police said they have confirmed Tablo’s diploma at Stanford University, announcing the interim results of the probe into allegations of Tablo-bashing internet users who claimed the K-pop star forged his diploma at Stanford.

　The cyber crime team of Seocho Police Station said it has checked Tablo’s certificate and transcript from Stanford and confirmed that he earned a bachelor of arts and master’s degree at the prestigious U.S. university.

　In late August, Tablo filed a lawsuit against 22 members of Naver online community “We urge Tablo to tell the truth,” also known as “Tajinyo” in Korean, for libel.

　Among them is the café manager whose user ID is “whatbecomes,” who first raised suspicion about Tablo and initiated the allegations.

　The police said they will arrest “whatbecomes” with the cooperation of the international police. The café manager is a 57-year-old U.S. citizen whose surname is identified as Kim, the police said. During the investigation, police also found out that Kim had stolen his friend’s ID by using the friend’s social security number.

　Upon the announcement of the investigation results, Tablo said he does not know what to do next.

　“It’s been a while since I didn’t do music. I haven’t thought about what to do,” Tablo was quoted by a local daily as saying. “I don’t have plans. I don’t have enough energy to do music right now,” he said.

　Earlier, Korean Web surfers and Twitter users urged online Tablo attackers to publicly apologize to him, after the MBC aired a special program on Oct. 1 on the singer-songwriter visiting Stanford University to verify his diploma there. On the program, Tablo met with Stanford Registrar Tom Black to print out his graduation certificate and transcript directly from the school’s computer system and compared them to those the singer had revealed through a local daily earlier in June. The two were identical.

　MBC was allowed by a Seoul court on Friday to go ahead with the airing of “Tablo Goes to Stanford,” after three members of an internet community café on portal Naver, “World Where the Common Sense is the Truth,” a.k.a “Sangjinse” in Korean, filed a court injunction against the program’s airing on Oct. 1, claiming the content of the program could prejudice an investigation into Tablo over his alleged dipolma forgery.

　The court dismissed the case hours before the show’s scheduled airing, ruling that the petitioners lacked evidence to back up their claims that the program could affect the ongoing probe by the prosecution.

[Guest]

If possible and necessary, I would like to make a small donation to Tablo to help him sue those b@stards. Anyone knows?

Those loonies should really do some time for what they have done and set an example that you cannot hide behind the internet and do this stuff without consequences.

[rubie]

October 8, 2010

Police confirm singer Tablo graduated from Stanford

By Park Si-soo pss@koreatimes.co.kr

Police confirmed Friday that Tablo, the leader of Korean hip-hip band Epic High, graduated from Stanford University, announcing the outcome of an interim investigation into allegations that he forged his diploma.

Police said they have checked Tablo’s diploma and other related documents at the school, confirming that he earned both a bachelor and master’s degrees at the U.S. school.

The investigation opened in August after the 30-year-old singer whose Korean name is Lee Seon-woong filed a libel suit against 22 bloggers who claimed he falsely promoted himself as a graduate of Stanford University.

Seocho Police Station in southern Seoul said the confirmation was made after checking his graduation through multiple sources. It said he enrolled in Stanford in September in 1998 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature in March 2001. He won a master’s degree in the same subject from the university in June 2002, it added.

“We directly received his diploma from the school and compared it with one Tablo opened to the public at the height of the scandal,” an officer said. “The two were inspected by scientific investigation experts at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and both were genuine.”

The officer said testimony from Stanford graduates also backed his presence at the school during the disputed period. “He returned to Korea nine times during the period. The trips were made during his vacations,” the officer said, denying allegations among Tablo-bashing bloggers that he frequently moved in and out of the country.

Police plan to question bloggers who instigated the dispute, including “whatbecomes,” the nickname of a blogger who runs a website for those who doubt Tablo’s academic history. Police said whatbecomes is a 57-year-old Korean-American, identified only as Kim, who now lives in the U.S. Police believe he created an ID using his friend’s social security number and other personal information.

As Kim has refused to come to Korea for questioning, police will seek coordination with Interpol. “We’ve verified 20 out of the 22 bloggers accused,” an officer said. “We will question them soon and, if necessary, will send the case to the prosecution.”

In a statement issued following the police announcement, Tablo said the investigation has finally brought the truth to light. “It (the result) couldn’t have been any different because the graduation was true,” he said.

Many Internet and Twitter users have demanded online Tablo bashers make a public apology to the singer following the Oct. 1 MBC TV program that followed Tablo on a visit to Stanford to confirm that he graduated from the school.

[rubie]

October 22, 2010

Tablo-bashing website shutdown

By Park Si-soo (pss@koreatimes.co.kr)

Singer Tablo

An Internet cafe voluntarily shut down and made a public apology for having led a months-long campaign to cast doubt over the school records of popular singer Tablo.

The website, “Sangjinse,” short for “the world where common sense is the truth” in Korean, is one of two online communities that orchestrated what police called “smear campaigns” against the hip-hop singer for more than three months. Another Tablo-bashing site, “Tajinyo” is still operating.

Sangjinse cafe managers said in a statement that their way of raising questions over Tablo’s academic record was “problematic,” expressing hope that the voluntary shutdown will be seen as a gesture of apology to the singer and his family.

“We have reached the conclusion that we need to make an apology over defamatory remarks against Tablo and his family members,” Sangjinse said in the statement. “We have no other choice but to respect the results of the police investigation. We hope the shutdown of this cafe will help heal their wounds.”

The apology means that the months-long attacks on Tablo, the leader of Epik High whose Korean name is Lee Seon-woong, are winding down after the announcement of the outcome of a police investigation into allegations that he fabricated Stanford University diplomas.

It came about two weeks after police confirmed that Tablo is a graduate of the prestigious U.S. school.

While making its apology, Sangjinse begged the musician to drop his lawsuit against 22 Internet users.

The move also came at a time when an alleged fake fund raising scandal hit the website’s leaders hard. The scandal was brought to the surface after a manager of the site, whose ID was “mooneo” or small octopus in English, posted an article, Tuesday, to launch a fund raising campaign to help the accused bloggers.

The manager asked members to wire money to his private bank account, resulting in a strong backlash from some members. The article was immediately removed, but the manager in question has remained silent over the case.

Few see the apology as whole-hearted.

“It’s no more than just running away,” said one blogger. “They should take proper responsibility. Where is your dauntless attitude?” another posted.

Another blogger wrote, “Don’t run away to avoid being arrested.”

Despite police confirmation, members of another online cafe, Tajinyo, is still attacking Tablo.

“I don’t care about the website shutting down. We will continue to make our way,” a Tablo-bashing blogger said in an article on Tajinyo.

The latest scandal created a great stir in a society where a good academic background is regarded as a surefire ticket to success.

In a recent Cabinet meeting, President Lee Myung-bak described the scandal as a “witch hunt,” asking secretaries to come up with countermeasures to prevent the repetition of such an incident.

[rubie]

December 23, 2010

Tablo ㅡ victim of cyber witch-hunt

By Park Si-soo pss@koreatimes.co.kr

For rapper Tablo, the leader of hip hop group Epik High, the year 2010 may mark the most grueling chapter of his life — he had been stigmatized as a diploma forger for most of the year before finally being cleared of the allegations.

Police confirmed in October that the 30-year-old musician, whose Korean name is Lee Seon-woong, earned a bachelor’s degree in March 2001 and a master’s degree in June 2002, both in English literature at Stanford University.

This put an end to a lengthy investigation that was launched in August after Lee filed a libel suit against 22 bloggers who had claimed he falsely promoted himself as a graduate of the prestigious university in the U.S. At the same time, it has thrown a question to society how much defamation in cyberspace can be tolerable.

Nearly two months have passed since the police cleared Tablo of all diploma forgery allegations and there has been no sign of a similar Tablo-bashing campaign resurfacing. During that period, a website that led the smear campaign against Lee voluntarily shut down after making a public apology. The prosecution is considering seeking extradition of a Korean-American who was the mastermind behind the campaign.

Yet, it seems that it will take more time for his life to return to normal — wayward on stage and outspoken on TV.

Tablo appeared at a five-star hotel in Seoul on Dec. 4 to attend a year-end party for Stanford alumni in South Korea, a rare visit to a public place following the scandal. He took the stage to deliver a brief welcoming address.

“Hi. This is the singer Tablo, who grappled with a diploma forgery scandal throughout the year,” he told his fellow alumni. “In the past, I was never nervous to take the stage before 10,000 people. But now I’m extremely anxious to speak before just 100 people. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my fellow alumni who stood behind me.”

The diploma forgery scandal against him fired up in November last year by a group of bloggers who claimed they couldn’t find his name on the list of Stanford graduates. It gathered speed just one month after he tied the knot with actress Kang Hye-jung. Last May, a Tablo-bashing online community, called “Tajinyo,” short for “the request to tell the truth about Tablo” in Korean, opened. Another website, called “Sangjinse,” short for “the world where common sense is the truth” in Korean joined the move.

Tens of thousands of people joined the websites and launched a collective “investigation” to uncover evidence proving that Tablo’s Stanford diploma was bogus. Some evidence and testimonies they secured were seemingly reliable, snowballing the controversy and pushing Tablo deeper into a corner.

In September, four members of “Sangjinse” filed a petition with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office to investigate the musician on suspicion of diploma forgery. In response, he flew to his alma mater in California with an MBC TV crew to be filmed being given a genuine diploma.

Stanford University ran an article featuring the shameful visit on its homepage. In the article, entitled “Rapper-poet Daniel Lee returns to Stanford to clear his name,” the school said the visit was part of Lee’s continuing efforts to prove that he attended the university. It said, “Lee, who graduated from Stanford in 2002 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, has been the subject of Internet rumors among so-called netizens who accuse him of lying about his Stanford degrees.”

Some members of a Tablo-bashing website sought a court injunction against the program’s airing in October, saying the content of the program could have been biased in favor of Tablo and affect the police investigation, which was then underway. But the court dropped the petition.

In the program aired in September as scheduled, Tablo complained about the netizens as they were undaunted by his repeated efforts to convince them with concrete evidence. “This is not the case about them not trusting me. They just don’t want to trust me,”he said in tears.

This scandal has spawned the question that the entire society should team up to offer a solution: cyber defamation.

Many observers and legal experts say a series of defamatory actions against Tablo on the Internet went beyond the tolerable level under the freedom of expression. They call for making a concrete guideline on cyber defamation in order to prevent second and third victims of this kind.

A netizen’s comment on the scandal speaks volumes, “Where there is freedom, there is responsibility.”

[rubie]

May 9, 2011

Tablo to Give Lecture at Alma Mater Stanford University

Source: KBS Global

Singer Tablo (real name Lee Sun Woong, 31) will give a lecture at his alma mater, Stanford University in the USA. According to the official website of “Asian American Students’ Association (AASA)” on May 6, Tablo will deliver a speech on “Asian Images” for one hour at the Cubberley Auditorium of Stanford on May 10 at 7 pm. AASA introduced him, saying, “Tablo earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree majoring in English Literature in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

He is very well known in Korea as a music producer and member of hip hop group ‘Epik High,’ and he ranked atop the US Music chart (category of hip hop and rap on the iTunes chart) for the first time as a Korean artist.” Tablo had gone through troubles last year because of allegations of forging his academic records, so his upcoming lecture at Stanford has drawn attention. Tablo has stopped holding activities as a musician since last year due to the rumors.

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September 27, 2011

Tablo Signs With YG For November Comeback

Source: KBS Global

Tablo is back.

Or he soon will be.

The Epik High front man recently signed on to a four year contract with the same company that his wife Kang Hye-jung is signed under: YG Entertainment. His new album can be expected on November 1st. This is the first time in 20 months that the singer will be re-hitting the scene, following the number one hit on iTunes' Hip Hop Chart "Epilogue".

This will be the second case where the primarily hip hop agency, YG signed on a non-trainee musical act, after PSY. This is also the second married couple that is signed under the entertainment giant.

Tablo has been marred by academic-related rumors, to the point where he was forced to put his singing career on hold. Tablo's wife Kang set up a meeting with YG's head Yang Hyun-suk for her husband, who had fallen into low spirits.

Yang has always been a strong believer of pure talent in artists, not to mention he was like a musical mentor for a young Tablo. With YG taking pride in their strong production system, it's the perfect company for Tablo to worry only about his music. Thus Tablo's fate with YG naturally intertwined.

Tablo graduated from the prestigious Stanford University in the US with a Masters in English Literature. He debuted as a member of the hip hop group Epik High in 2003, showing off strong musical talents and a witty personality. A group of anti-fans have been forming against Tablo since spring of 2010 where they doubted Tablo's academic credentials. Only after the entertainer went to extreme measures to prove his innocence, and after the operator of the anti-fan cafe "Tajinyo" (ID: whatbecomes) was proven to be fabricating these allegations did the whole ordeal settle down.

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September 28, 2011

Tablo to make November comeback with YG

By Kwon Mee-yoo koreatimes.co.kr

Hip-hop singer Tablo’s new solo album will be released Nov. 1.

The performer, also known as Lee Seon-Woong, signed a contract with YG Entertainment for four years. YG also manages his wife, actress Kang Hye-jung, and she introduced Tablo to Yang Hyun-suk, CEO of the entertainment agency known for hip-hop musicians.

He graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and master's degree in creative writing and made his debut on the Korean indie music scene as a member of hip-hop group Epik High in 2003.

Tablo was falsely accused of fabricating his academic record and pretending to be a graduate of the prestigious university. The argument lasted for months until the police confirmed he graduated from Stanford.

Though he signed a contract with YG, he will continue working with Epik High. However, one member Mithra Jin is serving his mandatory military duty, scheduled to finish around next May, so the group will return to the music scene after he is discharged.

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October 22, 2011

Tablo dedicates “From the Bottom” to his wife, Kang Hye Jung

by VITALSIGN allkpop.com

Tablo‘s ”From the Bottom” from his solo album, ”Fever’s End“, expresses the feelings of pain and regret for his family because of everything he was put through over the last couple of years.

Representatives of YG Entertainment stated, “‘From the Bottom’ is a song that Tablo dedicated to his wife, Kang Hye Jung, who stuck by him through all of the controversies he was embroiled in. The song is especially emotional in that it includes the voice of his child calling Tablo ‘father’ for the very first time.”

His album itself has been doing exceptionally well on the charts with his title track topping several digital charts on top of the rest of his tracks entering the top 10.

Viewers praised, “I cried while listening to the songs”, “The lyrics break my heart”, and “It was really nice to be able to appreciate the lyrics of the songs I’m listening to”.

Check out the lyrics for “From the Bottom” below:

Even if all of the tears of the world were to well in my eyes, I hope to shed your tears on behalf of you.

It hurts me to see you smile because of all times, you had to meet me at the lowest point in my life. I have such a guilty conscience. I question to myself whether it’s just half a smile or a smile that’s only half bloomed because you don’t know what the rest of the world is like. You say that it’s okay, but I guess there’s nothing else for you but to be okay. I’m too embarrassed, I don’t want to reach out to you with my small, empty hand, so like a fool, I leave your outstretched hand empty as well.

Earlier or later, when I had better news to tell, couldn’t we have met then? I could have let you rest in a green forest with streaming sunlight, but now my love is walking amidst rain underneath my cloudy sky. Such a pitiful person. This isn’t what my heart meant. I didn’t choose to become your half in hopes that you’d take away half of my misfortunes.

Even if all of the tears of the world were to well in my eyes, I hope to shed your tears on behalf of you.

The sound of your cry breaks my heart because of all times, you had to meet me at the lowest point in my life. Even if I want to console you, I’m too tired, and I can’t even make you laugh because my expression is so dark. I lay you down to rest as you cry yourself to sleep.. My hands stop at your time.

What’s broken isn’t my future but yours, so why… The only thing I think of when I wake is the reality that I haven’t grown one bit while you changed. I’m sorry. I could say this thousands of times over and I’m still sorry. I’m sorry that I’m both this low ceiling in our room as well as your sky. I’m sorry that I’m both your umbrella and the rain.

Goodnight, goodnight.

Goodnight, goodnight.

Goodnight, goodnight.

Good mornin’.

Even if all of the tears of the world were to well in my eyes, I hope to shed your tears on behalf of you.

Baby I’ll try, I’ll become your happiness one day

Try, I’ll become the best some day

Try, They’re only words for now, but girl I’ll try

Baby I’ll try, I’ll give you the world some day

Try, If I can’t, I’ll change the world for you

Try, They’re only words for now, but girl I’ll try

Source + Photos: OSEN via Naver, Star News

[Guest adorkiable]

His latest album is one of the best in the Kpop history. It's not simply sounds to satisfy your ears but real music that many bands/singers lack in the Kpop world. The lyrics are profound and beautifully written. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album. Part 1 was awesome, imagine hearing the rest of part 2. It'll be EPIK.

[Guest firefree]

Tablo's daughter's name is 'Haru' more details at the new epik high fan forum icarus-walks.net  .. please join^^

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December 6, 2011

Stars Attend Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Hyo Jin's Wedding

by: jnkm soompi mainsite

Mega stars Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Hyo Jin's wedding took place on December 2 at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. After five years of dating, the two have finally tied the knot.

Because both the bride and the groom are so well-known in the entertainment industry, their wedding showed off a dazzling guest list of top celebrities. Stars such as SNSD's Sooyoung, Super Junior's Choi Siwon, Moon Geun Young, Tablo and Kang Hye Jung, Jung Woo Sung, Han Hyo Joo, Go Soo, Ha Ji Won, Song Yoon Ah, Bae Seul Ki, Cha Yae Ryun, Yoo Hae Jin, Bae Soo Bin, Lee Chun Hee and a lot more attended to celebrate and support the couple.

Check out some of the photos below! (please refer the original link)

SNSD's Sooyoung chose to wear tight, gray skinny jeans to emphasize her long, shapely legs. She enhanced her feminine image with a simple black, short peacoat with a belt tied around her waist.

Choi Siwon is looking dapper in that gorgeous 3-piece suit!

Moon Geun Young sports a stylish boyfriend blazer with cropped sleeves, a black miniskirt and killer ankle boots.

Perhaps it's true when they say that lovers grow to resemble one another! Tablo and his wife, Kang Hye Jung give off identical smiles and waves. Both are also sporting semi-formal blazers and circle-rimmed specs.

Jung Woo Sung gives an intense gaze as he mixes up tones of gray and black to give off a simple but fashionable look.

Han Hyo Joo gives off an icy charm in an all black ensemble with a gray scarf warmly wrapped around her neck.

Go Soo looks like he is giving a forced smile but he still looks handsome in his simple black suit. He added the final touch of a white pocket square to complete his look.

The beautiful Ha Ji Won also chooses the color black, giving off a sexy and chic image.

Han Hye Jin chose a cream-colored a-line coat for a cute and feminine look.

Park Jung Ah dresses up in an all-black outfit and sports a chic shortcut that shows off her feminine charms.

The bride specially requested for Bada to sing the congratulatory song for the wedding. Bada chose a short, black minidress with a lace fringe at the hem and layers it with a black and white striped coat.

Look who it is! It's Bae Seul Ki, also dressed up in a simple, black and white outfit.

Lee Chun Hee mixes up different tones of gray for a clean-cut and simple look.

Cha Tae Hyun wishes the couple a long and happy marriage as he sports a fitted suit with matching tie and pocket square.

Kim So Yeon fiercely looks over at the cameras in her all black ensemble. Check out her leopard print heels.

Hwang Jung Min opts for the classic black suit.

Unlike most of the guests, Lee Yoon Ji decides to go with color - she sports a bold, red high-waist skirt with a black and gold top and matching heels.

The leading man for "Brains," Shin Ha Kyun makes the right choice by pairing his navy suit with classic brown shoes.

Song Yoon Ah breaks the rules and wears a white wrap dress that hugs her curves - she looks great for her age!

Au contraire to Jo Dong Hyuk's facial expression, he brightens up his black suit with a exotic, colorful tie and pocket square.

It's a rare public appearance by Kim Jung Hwa, who chose to dress up in bright, flashy colors to brighten up the crowd!

Can you say aww? Jinusean's Sean shows up with his two sons - all of them look quite dashing!

Uhm Ji Won goes for the "Cheongdam-dong daughter-in-law" (meaning a rich housewife) look in her white blouse, soft pink pencil skirt and white fur coat. She finishes the look with big pearls and a semi-retro bob hairstyle.

Park Jong Hoon comes to congratulate his juniors on their marriage.

Lee Ah Hyun pairs a conservative navy dress with a flashy orange bag.

One of the brides closest friends, Yang Mi Ra stays low-key in this black and white outfit.

You wouldn't say much just by looking at So Yoo Jin's upper half of the body but once you peer down - bam! Look at those metallic leopard print skinny pants!

Cha Yae Ryun stays classy and feminine in tan-colored pants, a double-breasted gray long coat and black booties.

Ahn Sung Ki has still got it! He appropriately dresses for a December wedding by accessorizing his suit with a warm scarf.

Ryu Hyun Kyung goes for a nude-toned outfit with black walker boots.

Han Jung Soo admits that while he is happy for the couple, he is jealous of his buddy Yoo Ji Tae since he is still single. He sports a navy suit with a fashionable purple tie.

Director Song Il Gon poses with actor Bae Soo Bin.

The beautiful newlyweds!

The bride and groom share their first kiss as husband and wife.

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February 6, 2012

Tablo and Kang Hye Jung the Next Sean and Jung Hye Young

CJ E&M enewsWorld Kim, JiYeon

Tablo and Kang Hye Jung are rising as an ideal example of what it really means to be a married couple.

Ever since tying the knot in 2009, the couple has held an unwavering trust and love for each other, and show this off whenever they can by accompanying each other every time they have to visit the YG Entertainment building on official business.

Recently, the couple could be found holding hands and walking the aisles of the YG office building. Tablo seemed to be as bright as he was during the interview held for the release of his first solo album Fever’s End in November 2011, and had all eyes on his wife, taking care of her whenever possible.

A YG official told enews, “Whenever Tablo and Kang Hye Jung have to come to the office on business, they usually come together. They’re a great couple.”

Their bond tightened during the hardships they endured together. Kang supported Tablo at his side while he was on hiatus for two years due to the controversy about his academic credentials, and played a major role in getting Tablo to sign a contract with YG.

After Tablo stepped out in front of the public again with his first solo album, the two started making public appearances, even attending the wedding ceremony of Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Hyo Jin held on December 2.

Currently Tablo is working on his music, and Kang Hye Jung is looking over scenarios to choose her next piece.

Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan