Se7en (세븐) Aka Choi Dong Wook (최동욱)

[willenette]

*** I’m so surprised that it was Se7en. I wonder what PHB will say about this. But, I guess they broke-up already just before Se7en entered the army. But the main point is not about her, it is about being responsible as a soldier – that is, if they’re on-duty.  But, when they’re on-holiday, why are people making it such a big deal? They're old & they know the wrong from the right. I hope it’s just a gossip... This is just sad.  I smell SCANDAL – this is because they’re in Korea! I still respect Se7en. That's the risk of being a celebrity - every movement of him/her will always be the public spotlight. But, it was mentioned that they went there for “medical purposes” – I know Se7en just like RAIN has a “back pain” also and often take pills to be able to perform. Aish.....what was Se7en thinking right now, huh? I feel sorry for Se7en!

This happened during their consolatory train, which was June 21. And Se7en was with RAIN & other celebrity-soldiers to perform. Some RAIN & Se7en dancers joined with them in the dinner. But, RAIN & KCM returned to the place where they're staying for the night & Se7en & Sangchu went on a strolled first.

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class="content-title"[breaking] Celebrity Soldiers Se7en and Sangchu Reportedly Seen Visiting Adult Massage Parlors

Recently, two celebrity soldiers were seen visiting an adult massage parlor, which stirred up controversy once again over the leniency of military rules for celebrity soldiers. According to JoongAng Daily, the two celebrity soldiers were just revealed to be Se7en and Sangchu. 

On June 25, SBS’ “Scene 21” reported a segment on the hidden stories behind celebrity soldiers.

This segment showed the celebrity soldier’s activities after they completed a special event for the 6.25 Korean holiday on June 21. After finishing the event, the celebrity soldiers did not return to their unit but stayed at a hotel. The soldiers then proceeded to exit the hotel at around 10 PM in their everyday clothes (not in military apparel, which is breaking the rules) and had dinner with a variety of alcoholic drinks such as beer and soju.

They did not go back to the hotel but at around 2:30 AM, they were seen getting into a taxi and getting off at a massage parlor. After spending 10 minutes at the massage parlor, the celebrity soldiers took another taxi and went to another massage parlor. They spent about 30 minutes in that parlor before exiting.

The camera crew asked the massage parlor employee about the celebrity soldiers and the employee answered, “They said that they didn’t have enough time and just left without getting a massage after getting their money back.”

When the celebrity soldiers saw the TV crew, they attempted to take the cameras away with violent force. One of the soldiers commented, “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

Then the TV crew asked, “It’s 4 in the morning right now. Are you a soldier or are you a celebrity? You visited massage parlor A and then proceeded to go to massage parlor B. Do you have anything to say?” The soldiers stayed silent until one of them remarked, “We swear that we have not done anything illegal.”

Afterwards, the National Public Relations unit (where most celebrity soldiers serve their time) commented, “They went for medical purposes.”

After the segment was aired, certain sources of those celebrity soldiers apologized to the TV crew for the physical confrontations.

They said, “We can’t get in touch with the celebrity soldiers right now so we don’t really know the exact situation, ” and “We apologize to the SBS TV crew for thephysical confrontation that occurred on behalf of those soldiers. They must have thought that the TV crew was a crazy fan or paparazzi, which is why they tried to take the cameras away.”

They continued, “If the TV crew revealed that they were from SBS, we don’t think this would have happened,” and “We hope you can try to understand the celebrity soldiers’ standpoints since they suffer a lot and feel psychological pressure because of crazy fans or the paparazzi have tried to approach them even after they had enlisted.”

On the other hand, the reps of these celebrity soldiers explained, “After the previously mentioned event was over, there was an after party thrown by the director of the event. The TV crew probably caught a scene from this party,” and “While it is true that the celebrity soldiers’ actions may have caused misunderstandings, all of this happened under the supervision of the director.”

The rep lashed out to SBS by saying, “If you consider many different factors, this whole situation is very understandable but SBS will definitely try to exaggerate it,” and “If SBS ignores and leaves out certain facts and exaggerates the story, there will be some serious consequences.”

Controversy about celebrity soldiers having it too easy and the military being too lenient on their actions has always existed. Rain‘s military leniency controversy surfaced last January as well. Although the National Defense Unit stated that laws will be more strongly enforced, this recent segment of “Scene 21″ caused the general public to raise suspicions and doubts.

Stay tuned for more updates on Soompi.

credit : soompi news

[willenette]

***I hope they could come-up videos of this with subtitles. Aish......... why is Se7en getting into trouble? I still adore you anyway. I hope they can learn from their mistake...Military life is just so hard.................. Doesn't being in the army put their entire lives on hold? Those paparazzi are scary. For people who said "Se7en assaulted the paparazzi” – this is very disappointing because I didn’t see in the video. Where’s the video, huh? I wonder what YG also could say about this? Se7en’s followers from Twitter keep going up and down. This case isn't an "easy way out”. Even his own fans - look how his fans are angry at him. 

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Se7en and Sangchu reportedly being investigated for visiting massage parlors while on duty

Se7en and Sangchu are reportedly under investigation for visiting massage parlors while they were still on duty.

SEE ALSO: [bREAKING] Shocking footage of Se7en and other top celebrity soldiers visiting 'Happy Ending' massage parlors

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "We are currently investigating current celebrity recruits Se7en and Sangchu entering an adult entertainment establishment after their performance."

Previously, Se7en and Sangchu were caught entering a 'Happy Ending' massage parlor.

The National Defense Media Agency said, "[One of them] has a bad back and a bad knee, so he went to get it treated." But when asked, "How about the other one who went without needing treatment?", they had no answer.

The Ministry of National Defense added, "If these allegations turn out to be true, they will be handled accordingly within the law."

Source: Sports Chosun via Nate / allkpop

[willenette]

***They should know the consequences of doing that. If they were just normal recruits, I don't think people will chase after them at all. Oh, Korea... they have a different culture. And those soldiers at the DEMA (PR Dept.)  happen to be more of them celebrities. Can't deny that they did it wrong. You see, when I first saw the video, I thought it was a “gag show” – because looking at how the reporter reacted it looks like he's acting on a gag show.)

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[bREAKING] Shocking footage of Se7en and other top celebrity soldiers visiting 'Happy Ending' massage parlors

Sangchu, Se7en, and other celebrity soldiers have been recorded going to massage parlors while still on duty.

Before the controversial episode of SBS' 'On-Site 21' aired, a reporter of the show tweeted angrily, "The reality of the celebrity recruits. They're saying that they're worried that reporters would write articles after getting angry that they were hit while investigating.. Sigh. I wonder if he knew that this was an exclusive and that he was being used... If he didn't, he's an idiot, and if he did, he's evil. Wow. I want to just reveal his real name and what he said."

He added, "We happened to find celebrity recruits going to massage parlors. That's why there were physical impacts, as well. For details, watch SBS' at 9PM. It's not my article, so I can't say the real name... How regretful. Sigh."

During the actual broadcast, the reporters followed the four celebrity recruits including Rain and KCM after they performed at an event and went to their motel. At around 10 PM, the recruits came out, and they were filmed eating barbecued chicken as well as beer and soju. They then left again at 11:30 PM and came back to the motel in plain civilian clothing with cell phones at 2AM, and two of them were spotted (Se7en and Sangchu) going to a massage parlor nearby.

***pls. refer to the videos above *

The pair came out half an hour later, and when the reporters approached them for an interview, they snatched the mic away and twisted their arms. Undeterred, the reporter asked, "You were just at a massage parlor. It's currently 4AM, and you came to perform as a soldier. You were just at a massage parlor. Can you comment on this?". The two tried to snatch and destroy the camera, but when that failed, they said, "We did not commit a crime. We didn't do anything illegal."

The reporter asked, "Do you usually drink and go to massage parlors while you perform?", and they said, "We didn't drink alcohol at all. We should talk later", even though they were filmed drinking beer and soju. The pair then left back to the motel in a taxi.

The reporter entered the massage parlor and noted that the parlor did not let anyone under 19 inside. The reporter asked the manager and the manager revealed, "They asked things like, 'When can we get serviced?', and I told them 'Not right now'. I refunded them 170,000 KRW (approximately $147 USD)." The manager added, "No one comes to get just a massage. They come for what you're thinking."

SEE ALSO: Se7en to be placed as a rifleman in the 135th infantry division

The show then talked to the National Defense Media Agency, pointing out that they were handling the celebrity recruits badly, and they responded, "They have an event the day after, as well, so the PD was supposed to take care of their dorms", but when pointed out that the PD didn't manage them either, said, "Sorry."

On the massage parlor visit, they said, "He has a bad back and a bad knee, so he went to get it treated." But when asked, "How about the other one who went without needing treatment?", they had no answer.

Source: Star News via Nate, TV Daily via Nate (2, 3) / allkpop

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Se7en and Sangchu investigated for visiting massage parlor while on-duty

Celebrity soldiers Se7en and Mighty Mouth’s Sangchu are being investigated by South Korean military for visiting massage parlors while serving on active duty.

On June 25, SBS’ ‘In Depth 21’ broadcasted footage of celebrity soldiers after participating in a concert for soldiers on June 21. Around 10 PM, the celebrity soldiers gathered to eat dinner at a nearby restaurant with alcoholic drinks like soju while wearing casual clothing (which is breaking the army rules).

At 2AM, two soldiers (Se7en and Sangchu) left the motel again and were spotted going to a massage parlor nearby. After spending 10 minutes, they took a taxi and went to another massage parlor. They spent about 30 minutes in that parlor before exiting.

When ‘In Depth 21’ reporters confronted the soldiers, asking if they went into both massage parlors, they attempted to take the cameras away with violent force. The soldiers also denied drinking or doing anything illegal.

Ministry of National Defense confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, saying, “We are currently investigating current celebrity recruits Se7en and Sangchu entering an adult entertainment establishment after their performance.”

Check out the footage above -



source : dailykpopnews

[willenette]

‘Entertainment soldiers’ spotted at massage parlor

A screen grab from "Hyeonjang 21" (SBS)

South Korean celebrities fulfilling their mandatory military service were recently spotted at a local massage parlor, sparking a backlash from the public over whether so-called “entertainment soldiers” enjoy too many privileges.

According to “Hyeonjang 21 (On the spot 21), an investigative TV program by SBS, two celebrity soldiers were spotted last Saturday at a massage parlor in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. Massage parlors in Korea are viewed as seedy, as many of them are known to offer sexual services.

The two soldiers were spotted exiting the parlor after midnight. When the production crew of “Hyeonjan” approached them, they attempted to take the microphone away from the crew. One of the soldiers told the staff that he “did not drink a drop of alcohol,” and swore he did not do anything illegal.

An official from the Defense Media Agency said the soldiers in question had visited the massage parlor to get treatment.

Talk of favoritism concerning the soldiers, assigned to a unit that provides programming for TV and radio broadcasts to promote the military, swarmed the Internet Wednesday morning.

“Regular soldiers are on duty day and night, and they (entertainment soldiers) are allowed to drink and go to massage parlors?” complained one Internet user.


(khnews@heraldcorp.com)

[willenette]

Curfew is always followed as long as you’re on-duty. Having no apparent curfew is all against regulation. Many claims in Korea state that Se7en and Sangchu’s careers are officially over, this is also the same thing they said about RAIN before. Yes, if their actions were against military rules and codes they should be punished according to the law, but why are their music careers over? OK, I don't live in a world where I think Korean celebrities are squeaky clean. But what also is a problem is with the military itself.  These celebrity-soldiers should be monitored more closely by their superiors if they are going to be conducting these kinds of special duties or events–there should be set guidelines for them attending these events. Yes, it was a “bad call” on the part of these men –

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Fans vent their disappointment on Se7en's fan cafe + Sangchu says he should be blamed as Se7en's superior

Se7en's fan cafe, which was filled with supportive messages up until yesterday, has taken a drastic turn with disappointed fans venting their loss of respect for the singer with the outbreak about his misuse of celebrity soldier privileges.

SEE ALSO: Se7en and Sangchu reportedly being investigated for visiting massage parlors while on duty

Once devoted fans expressed their disappointment on Se7en's official fan cafe, 'FARINELI', writing, "The 10 years that I devoted to Se7en as a fan have all gone to waste", "This is just disappointing. Justice should be served", "He probably regrets it. Where did he go wrong?", "It's shameful to be a fan of a celebrity who goes to prostitution venues", "I can only sigh at this entire situation", "Give me back nearly 10 years of my life", "I wonder if he was always this kind of person and just succeeded in building up an image, or if he just changed as a person", "I can't even tell people I'm Se7en's fan now", "Se7en's birthday used to be the last digits of my phone number. I'm going to go get it changed now", "How can this all have happened..", "I don't even want to spare my emotions of anger on you now", and more.

As covered previously, SBS' 'On-Site 21' brought to light the 'special treatment' of celebrity soldiers who were caught going out and about in regular attire, using their cellphones, and drinking freely while on duty as an active soldier. Se7en and Sangchu are also being investigated for visiting a massage parlor, known for providing sexual services, in the middle of the night. The issue at hand is that these incidents all occurred while under active duty time, not on time off. 

It has also recently been reported that before the program was aired, Sangchu is said to have commented during the investigation, "I'll take all the responsibility for this situation as a higher ranking soldier... This is not Se7en's fault."

However, netizens reason that whether or not Sangchu is the higher ranking soldier, Se7en cannot be claimed innocent in the matter as he is an adult, who is fully aware of his actions.

Regarding the whole ordeal, the agencies of both Sangchu (YMC Entertainment) and Se7en (YG Entertainment) are remaining silent. YMC has commented that they cannot make any comments as they aren't able to get in touch with Sangchu, while YG Entertainment has closed off all communications, even skipping out on releasing Yang Hyun Suk's letter to fans that was supposed to be revealed today.

Source: Sports Chosun, TVDaily, Sports Chosun, TVReport / allkpop


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No Happy Ending In Sight For Se7en And Sangchu

The year 2013 is only half over yet the amount of scandals, relationship confessions, and celebrity marriages so far has to have exceeded every other whole year since I started following K-pop. The latest controversy revolves around an SBS In Depth 21 segment that followed some celebrity soldiers, also known as ‘PR Agents’ after a concert held for soldiers on June 21st. The report was to uncover how PR Agents conduct themselves while on duty and the video showed these PR Agents, which allegedly included Rain, Se7en, Sangchu, and KCM all leaving their motel late at night after the concert in civilian clothes, using cellphones, drinking alcohol at dinner and having no apparent curfew which are all against regulation.

After going back to the motel, two soldiers left in a taxi a short time later and were gone for a couple of hours, while two other soldiers were followed by reporters in the early morning to two different ‘happy ending’ type of massage parlors.  Upon their departure from the second establishment, they were confronted by the reporters, got violent trying to take the cameras away and denied any wrongdoing.

All reports claim that the two soldiers that went to the massage parlors (which apparently might be a violation of the moral code all soldiers take) are Se7en and Mighty Mouth‘s Sangchu.

The day after the news broke in Korea, the Ministry of National Defense claimed that they were looking into the allegations and if they are proven true will handle the matter according to the law. Sangchu’s agency 101 Entertainment has said that they have not been in contact with him and YG Entertainment has not responded to any claims or inquiries about the incident making many claim they are ‘stonewalling.’ Many claims in Korea state that Se7en and Sangchu’s careers are officially over.

It baffles me that these PR agents weren’t more careful especially after the scandal that Rain went through (I wonder if this will affect his release on July 10th?).  But what also is a problem is with the military itself.  These individuals should be monitored more closely by their superiors if they are going to be conducting these kind of special duties or events–an everyday soldier is always monitored by their superior–so who was in charge of these guys?  Everyone claims that these men shouldn’t get special treatment as celebrities, but that is kind of inherently impossible because of who they are–their fame will always makes their circumstances different.

In the reverse, it also wouldn’t be fair to treat them more harshly than your average soldier because they are a celebrity, right? If they were to cut off all the special events that these soldiers do wouldn’t that be worse and bad for morale?  I would think that the other hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers, that enjoy these concerts would choose to have these concerts rather than to not and that is the crux of the issue.  There should be set guidelines for celebrities attending these events and they should be enforced and monitored, especially after all the backlash about celebrity treatment in the military.

Yes, it was a bad call and use of judgement on the part of these men–they really should have known better by already being celebrities that there always might be someone watching your every move. Fans have expressed their disappointment in Se7en and Sangchu, but I really can’t wrap my head around this incident being the ‘end’ of their careers.  Because, really, in a society rife with indiscretion, sexual harassment, a culture of host clubs and the apparent acceptance of openly ‘happy ending’ massage parlors (if they are going to be charged with participating in ‘adult activities’ that are against the law, shouldn’t the owner of the premises and the people who performed the said activities be charged too?) why is their alleged actions so bad?

Yes, if their actions were against military rules and codes they should be punished according to the law, but why are their music careers over? If it’s because they have now tainted their idol image and every fans’ fairy tales about them, their fans need to really stop being hypocrites and wake up to reality–don’t they know that most fairy tales started off Grimm?! Yes, my impression of Se7en and Sangchu might be a little tarnished now, but that doesn’t affect how well Se7en can sing or Sangchu can rap or my appreciation of their music. These men are only human and by being human have made a mistake.  I’m sure they are not the first soldiers to have visited a massage parlor and they won’t be the last no matter how shady that is–they were just caught because they were celebrities being stalked by reporters. I’m not saying that what they did is right, but I don’t think it was so wrong that they should they lose their careers over it.

(TVReport, OBSNews, enewsworld, DongAIlbo, SBS) / seoulbeats

[willenette]

*** I think this is pretty funny because it´s kind of harsh for his fans to do this for him – maybe who could do this are those “superficial fans” & not really those loyalists’ ones. Sorry, but I’m there in the latter – I can’t do this to him. BUT, this is a rumor, not true. The fancafe' MOD even said that it's not true. I’m sure he feels bad about what he did & his fans are supposed to support him during his difficult & bad times. If fans can't support their idols in bad times they shouldn't show their love in good times either. I hope people get used to the idea by the time he gets released. It's none of our business, in the first place. But, he's a celebrity & not an average guy so, he should been more careful. But, being a celebrity should not mean you need to give up your privacy and life. It does not mean you give anyone the right to invade it as they wish. He’s human, he has a life. Still love him........this doesn’t make me less of a fan. What to do Oppa? I hope Medias could leave him alone now. This is going too far. It sucks. Poor Se7en!

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class="content-title"Se7en Gets Expelled From His Own Fan Cafe?

Fans of solo singer Se7en are outraged by the recent news surrounding his involvement in attending adult massage parlors.

To show their strong disapproval, his fan cafe Farineli was updated with the post “Se7en has been expelled.”

One fan commented, “Se7en’s fan cafe was created such a long time ago so I just use the site once in awhile. A moderator had him expelled. He got expelled by his own fan cafe.”

Some of the other comments on the fan cafe include, “To think that I liked someone like him… disappointed,” “That’s low. Thought he was a good person,” “He needs to reflect on his actions.”

Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that along with Sangchu, other celebrity soldiers who were at the special event celebrating 6.25 Korean holiday were Rain, KCM and Kim Kyung Hyun among others.

Update:

The person running the fan cafe has denied the news. “It’s not true.”

Source 1 Source 2

credit : soompi news

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Se7en and Sangchu caught drinking and visiting adult massage parlors while on-duty

Last winter, Rain was caught seeing Kim Tae Hee while on military duty. A South Korean source reported that the two might have been seeing each other as often as once a week. He also broke another minor military rule requiring every soldier to wear patrol cap all the time while outside.

This time he broke another rule: Rain was caught with drinking with five other celebrity soldiers, including SE7EN and Mighty Mouth’s Sangchu. Korean soldiers are required by law to wear their uniforms and are not allowed to possess cell phones or drink alcohol unless granted special permission. South Korean news reported that after appearing at a concert commemorating the Korean War, six of them got drinks together around 10 p.m., and some of them went to an adult massage parlor after 3 a.m.

SE7EN and Sangchu were caught by SBS cameras as they exited the “adult massage parlor,” cell phones in tow. After violently attempting to grab the camera, the two insisted that they only went there for a knee injury treatment.

Celebrity soldiers breaking rules have been a hot topic as of late, as upset citizens point out that they shouldn’t be given special treatment over regular civilian soldiers. The Ministry of National Defense is currently investigating the situation.


source : dramafever


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Entertainment soldier system may be retired

By Nam Hyun-woo

Seven (Choi Dong-uk)

Sangchoo (Lee Sang-cheol)

The government is considering abolishing the system that allows entertainers to serve in the military performing for active servicemen, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.

The move came after a TV program alleged two “entertainment soldiers” visited adult establishments while on duty.

“We plan to review the system of ‘National Defense Promotion Servicemen’ thoroughly from top to bottom,” a ministry official said.

The official said the ministry will question officers to check whether the program’s allegation was true or not. The investigation will take up to one week.

“If the allegations are true, the ministry will strictly punish them according to relevant regulations,” he added.

SBS TV’s investigative journal broadcast Tuesday that singer Seven (Choi Dong-uk, 29) and Sangchoo (Lee Sang-cheol, 31) visited a massage parlor, a place offering illicit sexual services, at around 3 a.m., on June 22.

According to the program, six entertainment servicemen, including the two, were on an official tour at a military base in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on June 21. After their performance, the soldiers went out to drink and eat at 10 p.m., the official curfew time they must obey.

They went back to a motel after a one-hour drinking-session, and the two sneaked out around 2:30 a.m. and visited the massage parlor.

According to the official, the basic principle of such servicemen’s accommodation is that they lodge in the barracks. But if they cannot, they are allowed to spend nights outside the barracks.

When reporters for the program asked whether they were entertainment soldiers, the two attempted to take away microphones and dodged questions.

In the program, a military official from the ministry said that it is “regretful” and explained Choi and Lee visited the parlor for “knee therapy.”

All able-bodied Korean men are subject to about two-year mandatory military service. And to promote soldiers’ morale, the military has been allowing celebrities to serve as entertainment soldiers touring bases.

The latest case of slack discipline among entertainers serving in the military came after nationwide criticism that celebrity soldiers were treated preferentially compared to ordinary conscripts, as top singer Rain (Jung Ji-hoon, 31) was embroiled in a controversy that he took leave too often to pursue a romance with top actress Kim Tae-hee in January.

After the love story surfaced, many critics complained that Jung was able to enjoy his private life while ordinary soldiers remained confined to their barracks. He then faced seven days of disciplinary action for having private contact while on official military duty.

The latest case fanned harsh criticism of all entertainers serving in the military.
A netizen said, “If ordinary conscripts committed the same offence, they would be dragged to a military court and face heavy punishments. It is outrageous that they forgot their position as military servicemen; but the ministry only protects them.”

namhw@ktimes.co.kr,

[willenette]

class="news_title"Korean celebrity soldiers investigated for alleged wrongdoing

class="news_brief"A number of celebrity soldiers are now under investigation over allegations that they flouted military regulations while in Chuncheon last Friday for an external performance.

SEOUL: Korea’s Ministry of National Defense revealed Wednesday that it is investigating allegations that a number of Korean celebrities, who are currently serving their mandatory stint in the military as ‘entertainment soldiers’, had behaved inappropriately after their recent external performance, reported Korean media.

It said that these soldiers “will be dealt with according to the law if the allegations are found to be true”.

The Korean Ministry of National Defense is reportedly also considering doing away with the practice of assigning enlisted celebrities to entertainment and public relations duties in light of recent complications involving celebrity soldiers.

This comes a day after a Korean news programme aired footage which it claimed showed two celebrity soldiers visiting massage parlours which also provide adult services, following their performance in Chuncheon on Friday last week.

The show further claimed that its reporters had filmed a number of other celebrity soldiers breaking military regulations and drinking late at night in civilian clothing, after they returned from their performance.

Speculation is rife that the two alleged celebrity soldiers shown visiting massage parlours in the aired footage are K-pop duo Mighty Mouth’s Lee Sang Chul and Korean singer Se7en, whose real name is Choi Dong Wook.

Lee’s management agency YMC Entertainment has since confirmed that Lee had indeed visited a massage parlour in search of a massage, but said he had visited the wrong sort of massage parlour by mistake.

- CNA/ha

[willenette]

Singer-soldiers caught going to a massage parlor

Two pop singers doing military duty are in hot water for carousing on duty, drinking and visiting a massage parlor in the dead of night.

Misbehavior by so-called “entertainment soldiers” always causes controversy in Korea, where all healthy males have to do military duty but don’t get cut the slack that celebrities do. Last Christmas, superstar Rain (Jung Ji-hoon) made headlines for not wearing his military beret on duty and also meeting up with his girlfriend, or in the terms of the military, indulging in “private contact.”

In the latest incident singer Seven, whose real name is Choi Dong-wook, and Sangchu, whose real name is Lee Sang-chul, are accused of visiting a massage parlor past 3 a.m. on Saturday in Chuncheon, Gangwon. Before going for their massages, the two had drinks with four other entertainment soldiers, including Rain.

The Ministry of Defense on Tuesday confirmed reporting by the broadcaster SBS on the two’s night out and said it would punish them in accordance with military laws.

The two soldiers went to Chuncheon Friday to perform for an event marking the 63rd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War. After performing, they went drinking and ended the night with the visit to the massage parlor in the city’s bar district.

The two singers reportedly told their officers they went to the parlor to ease pain in their knees, an excuse that has drawn public ridicule.

In response to the story, the Ministry of Defense dispatched a special audit team to a PR division in charge of promoting the Army by arranging performances for entertainment soldiers.

It was reported that Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin ordered the examination of the division.

The Defense Ministry is not ruling out closing down the PR division if further misbehavior by entertainment soldiers is uncovered in the audit. 

BY KANG JIN-KYU [jkkang2@joongang.co.kr]

[willenette]

*** Se7en is a grown man. He makes his own decisions. So the fans – the fans need to learn to grow up, too! The Medias – it’s really invasion of privacy! And I don't get it what's the big deal of going on a massage parlor at 2am? The problem is that they did it while on duty. It broke my heart once again..... I find this whole situation funny but at the same time pitied for Se7en. That reporter was harsh though. What they did was bad but seriously they did not rape or kill anyone.

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The 'Happy Ending' massage parlor gives their account on what happened the night that Se7en and Sangchu came in

The 'Happy Ending' massage parlor that Se7en and Sangchu were spotted entering and exiting while on duty gave their statement on what happened that night. 

A crew from KBS2TV's 'Entertainment Relay' arrived at the massage parlor in question and asked the parlor's representative about what happened that evening.  The parlor representative revealed, "They came in wearing their hats really low with their faces covered so I had no clue that they were celebrities. There was no room available at the time so they were unable to receive a massage and left. They didn't get serviced."

SEE ALSO: [bREAKING] Shocking footage of Se7en and other top celebrity soldiers visiting 'Happy Ending' massage parlors

Netizens commented, "Is it okay to laugh it off because they didn't get serviced?", "I wonder how much they were paid to say this lie", "But it doesn't make sense that they came out after 30 minutes if they didn't get serviced. They should've came out immediately if that were the case", and "Why did the massage parlor person even talk to the reporter in the first place?"

Source + image: Newsen / allkpop

[willenette]

*** What a title! They’re not yet proven guilty because the investigation is still ongoing. Prostitution in Korea is illegal, hence why the reactions are probably so “extreme”. And somehow, I could understand because Korea is a country that has a different language and words are not so easily translatable. My comment comes in the form of my own piece & stands still I’ve been sharing since this thing broke out

Hypocrites!

Sgt. Jung Ji-hoon, top, whose stage name is Rain; Private Choi Dong-uk (Seven), left; and Private First Class Lee Sang-cheol (Sangchoo). A 16-member “entertainment soldier” squad, including the three, is subject to an ongoing probe by the defense ministry as Choi and Lee were confirmed to have violated internal discipline during their out-of-barracks stay last month. / Korea Times file

Celeb-turned-soldiers undermine military unity and morale

By Park Si-soo

Private Choi Dong-uk (Seven)

Private First Class Lee Sang-cheol (Sangchoo).

An old saying goes, “A mudfish messes up clear water.”

Perhaps this is a maxim the military should take more seriously than other organizations, considering that its power hinges on strong unity of its members. In other words, a violation of internal discipline or code of conduct by some at any degree is not a problem of their own; it could badly affect the unity and morale of the entire military.

In this regard, celebrity-turned-soldiers, confirmed last week to have committed “inappropriate” behavior as active servicemen during their out-of-barracks stay, deserve strong public criticism and, if any, punishment.

Unruly soldiers 

Those in question are Private Choi Dong-uk whose stage name is Seven, and Private First Class Lee Sang-cheol whose stage name is Sangchoo. They belong to an “entertainment soldier” squad comprised of 16 conscripted singers and actors, which is under the control of the Defense Media Agency. All able-bodied Korean men are subject to about two-year mandatory military service since the 1950-53 Korean War with North Korea ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

The star-studded squad was established in August 2000 to help boost morale of troops by hosting recreational events at military bases across the country. Choi and Lee joined the military in March and October, respectively.

On the stage, the entertainment soldiers are given full-fledged freedom to do anything they want to entertain the audiences. When the show is over, they in principle are obliged to adhere to the strict military rules. Under these rules that are equally applied to ordinary soldiers, they are banned from leaving a designated residence between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. without a commander’s permission and, needless to say, possessing private cell phones and wearing non-military clothing.

Wearing casual clothing and cap, Lee, left, and Choi, center, encounter an SBS TV journalist on their way from a massage parole selling sex in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, on June 21. The reporter asked, “Are you an entertainer or soldier?”

In reality, however, the rules were toothless for the squad’s members. Wearing colorful casual clothing and caps, six members of the unit, including Choi and Lee, frequently chatted and texted using their hidden smartphones and roamed the streets in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, until late at night under the influence of alcohol, according to a video footage released by SBS TV’s investigative reporting program “Hyeonjang 21.” The program tracked down the team on June 21 when it hosted a morale-boosting event at a military base there.

The video also showed the two visiting a massage parlor, whose owner admitted to offering illegal sexual services, at around 3 a.m. The owner later said they didn’t buy sex because there was no woman immediately available.

They, fortunately enough, committed no illegal action in the program, but it provided enough evidence to claim that entertainment soldiers are poorly managed.

Perhaps there is no one who believes it was their first misconduct of this kind away from the barracks. The majority of people now believe that the program offered a glimpse of the extremely-relaxed military discipline of entertainment soldiers.

Nevertheless their commander seems to be only interested in saving one’s face. A defense ministry official told the program the duo visited the parlor for “knee therapy,” a claim considered to be a strong candidate for the best joke of the year.

“I was really disappointed,” said Yoon Hyun-jin, 26, a long-time fan of singer Seven. “I will stop supporting him.” Internet fan communities of the two singers were bombarded with critical comments, many of which say, “Shame on you!” or “Get a life!” Rumors had it that Seven was kicked out of his official fan community FARINELI following the incident. His management agency has denied the allegations.

Probe underway 

The defense ministry has launched an investigation into the case. A ministry spokesman said the probe will continue through the first week of July to punish those responsible for the wrongdoing.

“It’s very regrettable that there was a problem with entertainment soldiers,” said Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin during a parliamentary meeting on June 26. “Their behavior was  undoubtedly against a special management guideline for entertainment soldiers, which went into effect in January. We will decide how to deal with them based on the result of the probe.”

Asked whether he was considering disbanding the squad, the minister answered, “The entertainment soldier system was introduced for reasons, but I will review as to whether its existence is necessary.”

On the same day, defense ministry spokesman Wi Yong-seop said the ministry will “review the entire regulation system regarding celebrity soldiers including details of its fundamentals.” Following the incident, a research company conducted a survey of 2,118 people on the issue and 79 percent of them said entertainment soldiers are unnecessary.

The high support for the disbandment is attributable to a widespread perception that military duty is an equally shared ordeal among able-bodied men. With nearly all male adults having served in the armed forces — mostly at humble military barracks in remote parts of the country — it’s understandable that those caught for taking less difficulty or enjoying preferential treatment in the service are subject to public condemnation and even bullying.

In an extreme case, singer Yoo Seung-jun has found himself permanently banned from the country’s showbiz industry after he acquired U.S. citizenship in 2002 to evade military duty.

The ground for the entertainment soldier system was shaken in January by news reports that Sgt. Jung Ji-hoon whose stage name is Rain, frequently walked out of his barracks in Seoul to date with top actress Kim Tae-hee.

Online entertainment news media Dispatch, which made it headlines first, said the two frequently exchanged text messages and phone chatting before the news broke out, raising speculation that Jung used an unauthorized cell phone in the barracks.

Jung has since maintained a low-profile and is set to be discharged from the duty on July 10. But it could be deferred if he is held accountable for the latest incident. Jung was among the six wayward soldiers detected by the SBS program.


credit : Korea Times

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Ministry of Defense Talks about the Investigation Into Se7en and Mighty Mouth Sangchoo′s Incident

The Ministry of National Defense, which has been heading an investigation on the management of PR agents, opened up about recent accounts that it was investigating the massage parlor where Se7en and Mighty Mouth′s Sangchoo were found to have visited.

A rep from the Ministry told enews on July 2, "We can′t talk about the incident. It is true that an investigation is underway at that location."

On July 1, Sangchoo and Se7en appeared at the massage parlor to allegedly participate in a part of the investigation. The two were caught on camera in casual clothing.

The rep added to a question asking whether that meant their charges were confirmed, "We can′t jump to conclusions because the audit is still underway. It is, however, true that we are concentrating on this because it is at the core of the current issues."

"The schedules of the announcements and charges to be pressed can differ according to the results of the audit," the rep finished. "As for now, we can′t reach any conclusions yet."

Military PR agents recently came under fire after SBS′ In Depth 21 showed how they drank alcohol in casual clothing and visited shady massage parlors when they were supposed to be in their rooms.

The Defense Media Agency had said that "Se7en and Sangchoo visited the massage parlor for medical purposes."

Photo credit: SBS / enewsworld

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class="content-title"Se7en and Sangchu Revisit Massage Parlor for On-the-Spot Investigation

It has been reported that the massage parlor that Se7en and Sangchu visited in the recent past is being investigated by the Ministry of National Defense.

According to sources, on July 2, Sangchu and Se7en showed up at the aforementioned massage parlor on July 1 at around 5PM for an on-the-spot inspection.

The source spoke with Star News on July 2 and said, “Sangchu and Se7en came back to the particular massage parlor with other military persons concerned, wearing regular clothing like the time they were first spotted. They reenacted what happened on that night.”

Sources from the Ministry of National Defense stated, “We are planning to investigate until July 5. Since the investigation is still ongoing, we cannot reveal the contents yet.”

Y-Star‘s “Live Star News” actually got footage of Se7en at the scene on film. The on-spot investigation was reported to last around an hour.

Reporters tried to ask the military persons concerned as well as Se7en a few questions but neither party gave any comments.

Meanwhile, Se7en and Sangchu were spotted at a massage parlor by the SBS “Scene 21” TV crew on June 25 at around 4AM after finishing a concert.

The “Scene 21″ crew also got footage of the celebrity soldiers not wearing their uniforms, drinking alcohol and not returning to their lodging place.

Military sources claim that Se7en and Sangchu went to the massage parlor for medical treatment.

Stay tuned for more updates.

credit : soompi news

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July 3, 2013

Military investigating Seven

Singer Seven, 29, was spotted Monday during an on-site investigation by military officials at the adult massage parlor he is accused of visiting during his military duty in Chuncheon, Gangwon.

“Live Star News,” a program of the cable channel Y-Star exclusively reported the news yesterday.

A reporter said, “Seven appeared at the massage shop accompanied by military officers. He looked gaunt and pale. The procedures went on for about one hour.”

The reporter added that Seven didn’t answer questions about his condition and dropped his head, avoiding any comment about his alleged wrongdoing.

It was the first time he made an appearance in the media after being under fire for shirking his military duty.

The investigation will be aired on Y-Star’s “Live Star News” at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. today.

Seven, whose real name is Choi Dong-wook, is accused of visiting a massage parlor during military duty with another entertainment singer, Sangchu, whose real name is Lee Sang-chul, after 3 a.m. on June 22.

The previous day, several entertainment soldiers, including Seven and Sangchu, performed for an event marking the 63rd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War. But that night, they went drinking and allegedly visited the massage parlor in the city’s bar district.


By Ahn Joo-hee

credit : JoongAngDaily

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***Watching the videos, & if this is really the PR Dept. & those image I viewed were really celebrities since they came on blurry - this suddenly makes me think what RAIN and Se7en are doing right now – hahaha. Well, I think the bigger surprise is that these conducts exist. About the women part, everything was pretty believable. But, damn, leave these guys alone! WTH!)

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The reality behind celebrity recruits shock and disgust 'On-Site 21' viewers

After last week's report of Se7en and Sangchu visiting a 'Happy Ending' massage parlor while still on duty, SBS' 'On-Site 21' aired the 2nd part of their investigation into celebrity recruits.

What aired on the July 2 episode shocked and disgusted many viewers. The episode showed celebrity recruits using their cellphones freely and wearing civilian clothing while they were on duty. Not just that, they left their motel to drink and eat until 2 A.M., and then headed to the nearest convenience store to purchase even more alcohol.

The celebrity recruits also didn't address each other using military formalities but rather by name and hyung, even if the younger one was the superior. They were even caught joking, "You're like a civilian. They'll recognize you if you go outside." A military personnel revealed, "They wear personal sleeveless shirts and wear their military pants and just stroll around. They sometimes wear their personal military-looking clothes (not the ones issued by the army), wear bags, and even wear beanies."

That wasn't all, as a former Defense Media Agency employee revealed, "The gym in the Defense Media Agency is only for celebrity recruits. They have widescreen TVs, PlayStation gaming consoles, snacks, and clothes they can wear whenever they want. They tell the workers who are actually working on media PR to get off the computer so they can go browse the internet. They can't be stopped." He added, "There are even reports that celebrity recruits get company cards. There was a time when they rode a taxi, but didn't have a receipt. I told the responsible person to come forward and said, 'The money isn't the problem. You'll get an inspection, so bring the receipt right now.' Asking them 'When did you get in the taxi' is admitting that we didn't know when they came back. They also take days off like they're children asking to leave school. They say things like, 'I have a sty in my eye, so I'll be back at 6 P.M.', and 'I'm going to go cut my hair at a hair salon. I have to maintain my style'."

SEE ALSO: [bREAKING] Shocking footage of Se7en and other top celebrity soldiers visiting 'Happy Ending' massage parlors

That wasn't the end - it's not just the celebrity recruits that are the problem, but there seems to be problems within the Defense Media Agency itself. One of the women who used to work at the agency confessed, "They'd grope our butts as a greeting, and then make us take love shots with people we've never met before. They treated us like hostesses at a bar. Once, one of them told me to sit next to him, so I did. He then put a piece of meat in his mouth, took it out and told me to eat it. He said it was a test of love. Even when we didn't have concerts, we'd be told to all gather near their house and drink. We had to match their moods, and then even take care of the bill. But it was a situation where if we complained, we'd get fired. Who'd take it up to them?".

Of course, these accusations were denied adamantly by the Defense Media Agency.

The reports disgusted and enraged viewers, who couldn't believe that the celebrity recruits were getting such extensive special treatment. Many cried out for the celebrity recruits to be dissolved, and some demanded certain celebrities be required to serve another full term.

Source: Newsen, TV Report, Sports Chosun via Nate, SBS E! via Nate, TV Daily via Nate / allkpop

__________________________________________

***Aish................. WTF - I don't get it...Why didn’t his senior officers told him prior going out about this in the first place, huh? They should have known better. Am I the only one who thinks it’s 80% military’s fault? Lucky Sevens are still with him - Sigh ...Se7en...

Se7en under fire for wearing plain civilian clothing during his inspection at massage parlor

Se7en is under fire yet again for his choice of clothing.

Apparently, Se7en didn't quite learn the lesson after the controversial 'On-Site 21' broadcast, because he showed up for his on-site inspection held at the infamous massage parlor wearing plain civilian clothing.

SEE ALSO: The reality behind celebrity recruits shock and disgust 'On-Site 21' viewers

He was caught by cameras from Y-Star's 'Live Star News'. The on-site inspection took about an hour starting from 5PM, and his plain clothing stirred a problem.

The Ministry of Defense said, "It's all right if he wore the same exact clothes as he did on the day of the incident, but there'll be a problem because they weren't the same clothes." They added, "It's also very rare that a regular soldier wears plain clothing during an on-site inspection."

Source: Ilgan Sports via Nate / allkpop

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[03-Jul-2013][sBS]Drinking party and cell phone are considered rudimentary? Entertainment soldiers like 'civilians'.

 

SBS TV's 'the Site21', one of current affairs TV shows, did a succeeding in-depth report on the actual situation of military service of entertainment soldiers who have caused a huge stir since they were accused of violating military rules by the TV program.

 

(Reporter)

 

Entertainment soldiers reserved rooms in a downtown motel after their performance at a Consolatory Train concert in Daegu city last month. One after another, the soldiers in casual clothes appeared around midnight and turned on their cell phones and kept calling some people. And then, they moved to a bar, and their drinking party didn't finish until about 2:00 am. After the party, they bought alcohol from a convenience store near the bar and went back to the motel.

 

They look free even on the day when they don't perform.

[Entertainment solider A : Hello, hyung]

 

They have a joke with each other

[Entertainment solider B : You really look like a civilian. Anybody could recognize you as entertainer 000 with one bound outside the military]

 

The National Assembly Defense Committee held a special subcommittee to improve the operation of the national defense and piled in the entertainment soldiers who serve as if they were civil entertainments rather than soldiers, pointing out that the Defense Ministry's gross mismanagement has left the entertainment soldier system desperately in need of restructuring or abolishing.

 

Following, the committee expressed that they would make improvements or would decide to abolish the entertainment soldier system after watching for the result of a special inspection by the Defense Ministry.

 

 

Credit to SBS :

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=shm&sid1=106&oid=055&aid=0000255977

English translation by 화니.

[willenette]

*** There are plenty of articles mentioning Se7en's investigation, but how come I haven’t read anything on Sangchu being investigated? It’s really sad to hear all this. Is it because Se7en is more popular than him?  I don’t get it why people are focusing more on him. I hate when people look down on celebrities when they do something wrong. Is it because they’re celebrity but they’re also human beings. I feel sad & bad seeing Se7en’s recent pictures – when he went back again to that “massage parlor” for investigation. He lost weight, his face was a bit pale – (I remember RAIN’s look before when he re-surfaced right from his “controversy” -) Actually, when I saw Se7en, I remembered RAIN before. I really don’t mind at all that this will take a little longer – You see, SO many people are quick to jump down a celeb's back that they look crazy when the truth is not what they expected. Sigh....... why this nightmare won’t go away. The media is creating this big that’s why it’s blown out of proportion. What they did may not be as bad as what others did. Some pathetic haters always mentioning things over & over..... Obviously, they must be punished but they're not the only one to blame in this whole thing. I guess it would take a little time because prostitution isn't legal in Korea.

Ministry of Defense announces the investigation will take longer than expected

The Ministry of Defense is expecting their investigation to take longer than expected.

The original investigation was supposed to last until July 5. However, in a recent call with Newsen, the Ministry of Defense said, "We can't say anything in detail about the investigation process. The investigation on the celebrity recruits is still undergoing. We don't know when it will end."

SEE ALSO: YG Entertainment remains vague on the renewal status of Se7en's contract

The Ministry of Defense added, "There were reports saying that the investigation results would be revealed in early July or on July 5, but those dates were always subject to change. Se7en's on-site inspection is part of the investigation. If we set a date and try to match it, there will be parts that will be left out. We're thoroughly investigating in detail to keep that from happening".

Source: Newsen / allkpop

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YG Entertainment comments on Se7en's recent scandal

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In light of the recent massage parlor scandal amongst celebrity military recruits, YG Entertainment explains why they weren't able to give any comment on Se7en's involvement.

In a statement, YG Entertainment revealed that they do not feel obligated to release a statement as Se7en is being managed by the military while enlisted. They also stated that Se7en's contract with the agency expired a month after enlisting.

Se7en made his debut back in 2003, signing a five year contract with YG Entertainment. It was later renewed for another three years which ended by 2011. By April 2011, Se7en revealed that he signed a two year contract with the agency, which will be his last set of activities prior enlisting to the military.

Se7en enlisted in the military last March 2013, with his renewed contract with agency ending a month after.

Meanwhile, YG Entertainment didn't give a definite answer when asked about a possible contract renewal after Se7en's enlistment.

Se7en is a member of the Defense Media Agency of the Korean Military.

Source: Newsen / koreaboo

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class="content-title" Netizens Suspicious of Reasons Behind Transfer of Reporters Who Broke Celebrity Soldier Scandal CallMeN00NA

“Scene 21,” the news crew that confronted Se7en and Sangchu at the adult massage parlor, is making the news again, this time about themselves.

SBS recently announced the number of reporters on “Scene 21″ will be reduced from twelve to eight people, but stated that it was just part of normal processing and had nothing to do recent incident involving the celebrity soldiers. 

However, netizens are not buying the denials that this staff change is a result of the scandal. The fact that reporter Kim Jung Yoon, a key player in revealing the situation of celebrity soldiers to light, had been moved to a different department has netizens making allegations that the company is covering up the true reasons. 

However, a representative of SBS denied the allegations. “It is true that reporter Kim Jung Yoon had requested to be moved to a different department on July 1. It was for his personal reasons. Kim Jung Yoon just happened to be one of the many employees part of the department changes.” He also explained that “Scene 21″ had a large team and needed to be reduced anyway. 

In late June, “Scene 21″ had been the team to report about the celebrity soldiers visiting adult massage parlors and raised questions about the situation of celebrity soldiers. The Ministry of Defense and the Secretary of Defense came under fire on various social networking sites because of the reports. The Secretary and the Ministry of Defense apologized for the scandal and started an investigation on celebrity soldiers. 

Meanwhile, reporter Kim Jung Yoon was the one who covered the “Celebrity Soldier’s Nightlife Entertainment” story that started it all, and has received a lot of attention for his news reporting. Because of this, the “perfect timing” of his transfer has caught the suspicion of netizens. Netizens have not held back in voicing their suspicion about the department transfer situation. 

You can read about the celebrity soldier and adult massage parlor scandal here.

Source. / soompi news

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class="articletitle"K-pop Stage Names: Where They Came From

Most idols use their Korean names as their stage names, but once in awhile an agency will give random members a name that makes you wonder where it came from. Here's a lesson on where some of these K-pop stage names derived from!

(skipped unrelated.....)

Se7en got his name from the stupidest incident ever but good for him that it ended up being a cool name even though the background of it is downright lame. According to a fan forum, YG couldn't decide what stage name to knight Choi Dong Wook with. It wasn't until they were eating at a restaurant and they looked down at a plate with 7 pieces of kimchi on it that they confirmed Se7en would be the name associated with him for the rest of his life-all because of 7 pieces of kimchi. Seven is also the lucky number in Korea so Se7en wanted to spread luck through his music. I could totally make a distasteful joke out of that last sentence but I'll be a big girl and step away.

source : kpopstarz

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class="articletitle"Reporter Kim Jung Yoon Leaves 'Scene 21' After Filing Report On The Army PR Program That Landed Se7en And Sangchu In Hot Water

Television reporter Kim Jung Yoon has left the program "Scene 21," following his expose on the South Korean Army's PR Agent program.

Television reporter Kim Jung Yoon has left the program "Scene 21," following his expose on the South Korean Army's PR Agent program.

Television reporter Kim Jung Yoon has left the program "Scene 21," following his expose on the South Korean Army's PR Agent program that led to the investigation of enlisted K-pop stars Sangchu of the group Mighty Mouth and Se7en.

A spokesperson for the Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) told the news agency Nate that Kim's transfer to a different area of the news division had nothing to do with the recent army public relations (PR) agent scandal.

"Reporter Kim Jung Yoon had requested to be moved to a different department on July 1," said the SBS spokesperson.

"It was for his personal reasons. Kim Jung Yoon just happened to be one of the many employees part of the department changes."

Those "department changes," the spokesperson confirmed, include cutting the "Scene 21" news team from 12 to eight, a move the network claims was due to the fact the staff was too large.

Entitled "Celebrity Soldier's Nightlife Entertainment," Kim's "Scene 21" report, which aired on June 21, appeared to show enlisted soldiers working as PR agents in the Defense Media Agency wandering the streets out of uniform and consuming alcohol freely after performing at an army-sanctioned concert.

The "Scene 21" camera crew also captured footage of singers Se7en and Sangchu of the group Mighty Mouth, both public relations officers, entering an erotic massage parlor.

The footage rocked the Ministry of National Defense, who ordered a full investigation of the public relations officer program, a longtime bastion for celebrity soldiers serving out their mandatory enlistment terms.

"The special investigation on the operation system of Defense Media Agency will continue into next week as there are still many things to confirm," a Ministry of National Defense representative said last week.

Soompi reader Bluecat13 refuses to believe that the controversy didn't directly lead to Kim Jung Yoon's departure from "Scene 21."

"It's too obvious that his position has been changed just because of this scandal and his report about celebrity soldiers," she wrote on Monday.

"Why is [this happening] now? Not before? We all know that the world is just like that! İf you touch the one who is more powerful than you, you will get in trouble."

source : kpopstarz

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class="entryHeadline"The 10 Sexiest Men in K-Pop

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Most of the men of K-pop share similar traits: perfect complexions (almost always with the aid of makeup), chiseled faces (often with the aid of plastic surgery), and an image that is steamy-yet-conservative. Still, the genre's heartthrobs run the gamut from impossibly ripped to androgynous. In any case, here are our choices for the 10 sexiest men in K-pop: These guys have got game.

10. Se7en

Se7en is a veteran of one of the early "Korean waves" that took East Asia by storm. Speculating that he could cross over, his management sent him to the U.S. to record a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT2W-SXSHMA, but it flopped. He later reclaimed his place as a heartthrob in Korea and Japan and is one of the more well-known K-pop acts today. His career is currently on hold again, due to military conscription. On his first day of active duty, his record label YG released his single "Thank U." Come home safe, Private Se7en.

source : LAWeekly

cr-JJ thread / tealee

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class="content-title"Psy and Hyori are LA Weekly’s #1 Sexiest K-Pop Stars

LA Weekly chose Psy as #1 in its list for “The 10 Sexiest Men in K-Pop” and Lee Hyori as #1 in “The 10 Sexiest Women in K-Pop.”

Also included in the top ten list for men were Big Bang’s T.O.P and Taeyang, Super Junior’s Siwon, Jay Park, Rain, Tablo, JYJ’s Jaejoong, SHINee’s Minho, and Se7en.

Psy didn’t join the list as another “hottie with a body,” but as a star with a unique concept, and most importantly, “[someone who is] down to have fun.”

Lee Hyori also reached the top of the “The 10 Sexiest Women in K-Pop” list by shining amongst a crowd of younger stars. She was described to stand unsurpassed as a true veteran, glamorously embracing her maturity in a competitive industry.

Following Lee Hyori were 2NE1, Kara’s Park Gyuri, Girls Generation, Gain, f(x)’s Amber, HyunA, Yoobin, and BoA.

‘The 10 Sexiest Men in K-Pop,’ ‘The 10 Sexiest Women in K-Pop‘ [LA Weekly]

credit : soompi news

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***Based on what I see, K-fans are the best and the worst fans as well. Best because they are really enthusiastic fans, they are devoted and sacrificing fans. I'm really moved to those who always make sure they are present in every live performance to support their fave artist. Worst because when their fave artist get involved in a certain scandal (well, not everyone but most of them) they will turn their backs immediately not even knowing the real story behind the issue. I just thought that every fan motto is "support & love them (the artist) no matter what". Well, Korea is Korea, and we can't change a country's culture just because it doesn't suit our needs. But, sometimes K-FANs are that they are a little extreme than normal. I’m not generalizing..... because in my opinion, it depends on the personality of each fan.

Probe of soldiers nears end

The Ministry of National Defense will finalize its investigation of soldiers serving with the Defense Media Agency, which specializes in promoting military works and encouraging soldiers.

“We will announce the result of the investigation next week and based on the findings we will also prepare some follow-up measures,” Wi Yong-sup, spokesperson of the ministry, said yesterday.

The exact date has not been set.

The investigation began after a local TV channel aired a report last month on inappropriate actions taken by celebrities who are serving their compulsory military duty.

Some of the “entertainment soldiers” were caught drinking and going to a massage parlor late at night after they had given a performance at an event marking the 63rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War on June 21.

Soon after the program was aired, the ministry started an internal investigation to learn more details about what had happened.

The probe was scheduled to be completed last week, but the deadline was extended.

By Lee Sun-min

credit : JoongAngDaily