"No Excuse" Yet Feeling Unfair
"Forced to Drive to Give Up Parking Spot for Exiting Vehicle"
Singer Nam Taehyun (30) has bowed his head amid controversies involving drug allegations and a drunk driving scandal, while denying some of the charges.
Nam Taehyun's agency, No Name Music, explained on the 10th, "Contrary to some media reports, Nam Taehyun did not drive several dozen meters after colliding with a taxi; he moved forward about 5 meters and then parked again."
According to Nam's side, on the 8th at around 3:30 a.m., after finishing a drinking gathering with acquaintances in Gangnam, Seoul, he called for a designated driver. Since his car was blocking the vehicles of acquaintances waiting to leave, he moved about 5 meters and parked again, intending to wait for the designated driver he had called.
No Name Music stated, "During this process, while Nam Taehyun was opening the door of the parked vehicle, the side mirror of his car and a passing taxi collided," and added, "Immediately after the collision, Nam Taehyun checked on the taxi driver’s condition and promised sufficient compensation for the damages."
Furthermore, No Name Music said, "Nam Taehyun deeply reflects on his mistakes and will sincerely cooperate with the police investigation and accept any punishment for his wrongdoing. We sincerely apologize to everyone." They also mentioned, "There is no excuse for his momentarily reckless judgment despite being under the influence of alcohol."
The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul has booked Nam Taehyun on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act and is currently investigating.
Regarding the damage to the taxi’s right side mirror, Nam’s side reached a settlement with the taxi driver for about 300,000 KRW.
However, it was found that Nam Taehyun drove his vehicle about 7 meters after this incident, causing public uproar. The police who responded to the report conducted a breathalyzer test at the scene, revealing a blood alcohol concentration of 0.114%, which is above the license cancellation threshold. The police are expected to summon Nam Taehyun soon.
Meanwhile, Nam Taehyun debuted in 2014 as a member of the group 'WINNER' but left the team after two years. Since then, he has been involved in various controversies. In 2019, he publicly dated Jang Jane but faced public criticism after evidence of a 'double dating' situation surfaced.
In August last year, Seo Minjae, a contestant on Channel A's 'Heart Signal 3,' accused Nam Taehyun of drug use and assault, causing a stir. The police are investigating Nam Taehyun on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act.
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