Hyun Joo Yeop Breaks Silence on Allegations
Addresses Family Struggles and Mental Health After Public Scrutiny
Former basketball player and broadcaster Hyun Joo Yeop, who was embroiled in allegations of neglecting his duties and abusing his authority last year, has spoken out for the first time since the controversy.
Former basketball player and broadcaster Hyun Joo Yeop. Screenshot from Hyun Joo Yeop's YouTube channel.
On September 4, Hyun Joo Yeop released a video titled "I Will Just Say Everything" on his YouTube channel "Hyun Joo Yeop's Food Code." He said, "After the controversy, I lived in seclusion for a while. There are still negative perceptions, but you need to have done something wrong to apologize, and there was nothing. In the end, nothing came out." He continued, "Even the call with my junior from school, which was edited and reported, led to a correction by the Press Arbitration Commission. I took on the coaching role as a volunteer, so I think it's best to remain silent," choosing not to elaborate further.
Last year, Hyun Joo Yeop faced allegations of leaving his workplace without permission for broadcast shoots, including eating shows. Additional accusations followed regarding neglect of duty and holding dual positions, as well as claims that he tried to intervene in the basketball team affairs at Whimoon Middle School, where his children were members, and that he gave his children preferential treatment in training.
However, Hyun Joo Yeop's side stated, "The media outlet that first reported the allegations against Director Hyun Joo Yeop issued a correction following mediation by the Press Arbitration Commission, confirming that 'the lack of working hours was made up through alternative work,' and clarified that the allegations of holding dual positions and neglecting duties were not true."
After a year-long hiatus from YouTube following the controversy, Hyun Joo Yeop resumed his activities but had not previously addressed the incident. This is the first time he has spoken about it. He said, "If there was something to apologize for, I would be happy to do so. But it simply isn't true. The Press Arbitration Commission even ordered the media outlets to issue corrections, proving it wasn't true, but people are not interested in the facts."
Regarding malicious comments about his son, he said, "I am angry and feel wronged because my children suffered tremendously. What did they do wrong? Now, my entire family is seeing psychiatrists, and my son was hospitalized for several months. My wife and I were also hospitalized. The psychiatrist strongly recommended hospitalization. In fact, we are the ones who suffered the most, so I am the one who deserves an apology."
He added, "Our family has collapsed. All four of us are receiving psychiatric treatment. Without medication, we can't sleep. My slurred speech is because of the psychiatric drugs. If I don't take them regularly, my mood swings become severe and I can become extremely unstable."
Hyun Joo Yeop explained, "Depression brings insomnia, social withdrawal, and loss of appetite. I restarted my YouTube channel to bring about change. The hardest part of dieting is the emotional stress. Now, I eat only one meal a day or sometimes skip meals altogether, and my appetite has decreased. After losing more than 30 kilograms, even my doctor was surprised."
He also shared his reason for continuing his YouTube activities: "I think if I start broadcasting again, my child might get better. I want to show the world that things aren't always as they seem."
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