Shin Jung-hwan, a former member of the group Country Kko Kko who had kept a low profile in broadcasting following controversy over illegal overseas gambling, has returned as a model for a restaurant advertisement.
On December 2, Shin posted a short promotional video on his social networking service (SNS). The brand that selected Shin as its model explained the unusual choice by saying, "People ask, 'Why Shin Jung-hwan of all people?' Our answer is, we never take the ordinary path."
The brand further stated, "A man who has faced countless misunderstandings and ups and downs, but ultimately turned things around with humor and variety shows. His intensely spicy life story resembles the flavor of Bulgongjang," drawing a connection between Shin and the brand's identity.
In the released promotional video, Shin remarks, "It's even more surprising that the owner chose me as a model," and in another video, he says, "Do you have any money? You don't look like you do," before performing a scene where he scatters banknotes. He also references the past 'dengue fever' controversy from his time in the Philippines, responding to someone saying, "You lose your appetite with dengue fever," with, "That was ages ago. My appetite is back to normal now."
Shin was indicted and sentenced to eight months in prison in 2010 for illegal overseas gambling, after which he suspended his broadcasting career. At the time, he claimed to have contracted dengue fever in the Philippines to cover up the gambling allegations, but this was later revealed to be false, leading to widespread criticism. After a long period of self-reflection, he returned to broadcasting in 2017 and has recently expanded his activities, focusing on YouTube content.
In October, Shin appeared on Lee Yongjin's YouTube channel and revealed, "I was contacted by a popular family entertainment program that everyone knows," but added, "I declined because my family felt uncomfortable about it."
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