Serious Panic, They Said... Kim Ho-jung Spotted Buying Canned Beer Right After the Accident

Convenience Store CCTV Footage Captured Near Guri Hotel

Trot singer Kim Hojung reportedly purchased canned beer at a convenience store near a hotel he visited immediately after the accident, MBN reported on the 18th. This contradicted his agency's claim that he was unable to handle the situation due to severe panic following the accident, as he was seen calmly buying alcohol.

Singer Kim Ho-jung is purchasing a canned beer after a hit-and-run.
[Photo by MBN]

On the night of the 9th, around 11:40 PM, Kim was involved in a collision with an oncoming taxi while changing lanes in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and then fled the scene. Instead of going home, he headed to a hotel in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, and bought canned beer with his manager at a nearby convenience store. While Kim and his manager were inside the convenience store, another manager, wearing Kim’s clothes, went to the police station and falsely surrendered. They attempted to switch drivers.

According to the released CCTV footage, Kim was seen selecting bottled drinks from the convenience store shelves, turning around, opening the refrigerator door, and taking canned beer. An employee working at the convenience store at the time stated, "He bought four cans of beer, two drinks, and one snack. He was wearing a mask, so I couldn’t recognize him." The police have secured CCTV footage and receipts showing Kim’s activities at the convenience store and are analyzing them.

Earlier that day, around 6 PM, Kim and six companions split into three vehicles and went to a restaurant. They ordered five bottles of soju and three bottles of soft drinks to share, and left the restaurant about an hour and a half later. However, since they dined in a private room, it remains unclear whether Kim consumed alcohol. Afterwards, they stopped by a nightlife establishment in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, and around 10:50 PM, called a designated driver to return to Kim’s residence in Gangnam-gu. This nightlife venue is known as a "tenpro," where female hostesses accompany customers at their tables.

After returning home via the designated driver, Kim drove out again in his Bentley sports utility vehicle (SUV) and around 11:40 PM, on a side street in Apgujeong-dong, collided with an oncoming taxi and fled the scene. Amid allegations of hit-and-run, drunk driving, and driver switching, Kim’s side has appointed lawyer Cho Namgwan, who previously served as acting Prosecutor General, as his defense attorney. They expressed their intention to proceed with scheduled performances, including shows in Changwon on the 18th and 19th, as well as concerts in Seoul during the following week and in Gimcheon the weekend after.