Moon Jung-won's handwritten apology letter "Sorry for toy scam... quitting activities and reflecting"

Moon Jung-won "Taking a break from SNS and YouTube activities for self-reflection"

Photo by Mun Jeong-won, SNS capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Moon Jung-won, a florist and wife of Lee Hwi-jae, who recently faced backlash over inter-floor noise disputes, has once again apologized for the controversy surrounding unpaid toys.

On the 15th, an online post alleging that Moon Jung-won did not pay for toys at an Everland store in 2017 spread widely.

Her agency, IOK Company, stated in an official statement that day, "We would like to address the incident (unpaid toys) reported in the media today. Moon Jung-won does not remember the event that took place at Everland in 2017 at all," adding, "We fully acknowledge that not remembering is not an excuse."

They continued, "We are currently trying to contact the victim, but since the comment has been deleted and only the ID is available, we have sent a DM within a reasonable limit and are waiting for a response. Above all, since apologizing to the person involved is important, we will make every effort to get in touch."

They also said, "Moon Jung-won feels a great sense of responsibility through this matter and intends not only to apologize verbally but also to take a break by suspending all SNS and YouTube activities."

Photo by Moon Jung-won, provided by OK Company.

Moon Jung-won also apologized through a handwritten letter.

She wrote, "I realized how difficult it must have been for you over the years until you posted this. It must not have been easy to write this, so thank you for letting me know," and added, "I am very ashamed and sorry that I do not remember the incident clearly."

Moon Jung-won stated, "Thinking about how anxious you must have been waiting for me that day makes me regret not taking proper care. My heart is very troubled and fearful now. The most important thing now seems to be asking for forgiveness from the person who has had a hard time over the years and resolving this as quickly as possible."

She continued, "I want to live with a heart that considers those around me well, but when I fail to act that way, I am often disappointed in how lacking I am."

She added, "From now on, I will reflect on myself and take time to ensure I do not repeat such careless or immature behavior," and "Once again, I sincerely apologize to those who were harmed because of me and will do my best to communicate directly with them to resolve this so that their hearts can be at ease."

On the same day, a post by a netizen claiming, "I was wronged by Moon Jung-won at Everland in 2017," spread across various online communities and SNS.

Photo by Online Community Archive.

The author of the post stated, "At the amusement park, I sold two toys to Moon Jung-won's children, totaling 32,000 won. She said she didn't have her wallet and would come back later, but even after waiting until night, she never came, so I covered the cost."

They added, "I trusted her because she is a well-known person and waited until the park closed, but I was naive and wrong to believe her. At that time, Moon Jung-won even took a photo directly with her son, which apparently was a paid service," mocking her.

Other netizens asked in the comments, "Is this true?" The author replied, "It is true, and about five other employees who waited with me at the store can confirm it. It is clearly a crime, but I lacked the energy to pursue it, so I just covered it and let it go. Nowadays, if this were false, wouldn't I be sued for defamation?"

As the post spread, Moon Jung-won's Instagram was flooded with critical comments such as "You shamelessly ran off without paying for toys," "Isn't this a crime?" and "From inter-floor noise to running off without paying."

Moon Jung-won recently faced difficulties due to complaints from neighbors about inter-floor noise. Following the controversy, she posted an apology regarding the noise on Instagram on the 13th, which was her last post.

Moon Jung-won's Instagram, which previously had about one million followers due to her active SNS presence, is currently unsearchable. Her YouTube channel has also been set to private.