[Breaking News] KBS: "Hwang Young-woong's Song Cannot Be Inserted into Drama OST" Finally Speaks Up [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

KBS announced that singer Hwang Young-woong, whose broadcasting activities were suspended amid controversies including allegations of school violence and a prior assault conviction, will not have his song inserted into any drama nor be officially credited as part of the OST.

On the 24th, in response to a viewer petition on its official website, KBS stated, "At the time we learned of Hwang Young-woong's involvement, the music lineup for all episodes up to the final one had already been finalized with only four episodes remaining before the drama concluded." It added, "Regardless of the controversies surrounding Hwang Young-woong, it was difficult to insert his song into the broadcast."

It further clarified, "We informed the drama and OST production company that the song could not be used in the broadcast and explicitly stated that it would not be included under an official OST title."

Previously, on the 10th, Namyam Entertainment, the OST production company, drew attention by officially confirming Hwang Young-woong's participation in the OST for KBS2TV weekend drama "Prescribing Love."

At that time, Namyam Entertainment explained that the project was carried out according to initial planning, stating, "In the early stages of OST production before the drama aired, we had been proceeding with a lineup including Hwang Young-woong and several other trot singers. This decision was made based on musical composition considerations, not as part of his acting role or separate broadcasting activities."

However, following the announcement of the song release, petitions opposing Hwang Young-woong's OST participation emerged, sparking controversy. On the 11th, a netizen posted on KBS's viewer petition platform, "KBS is a public broadcaster funded by citizens' precious reception fees. It has a profound responsibility not only to maintain viewership ratings but also to uphold social values and set moral standards for the public interest." The petition gathered over 200 signatures, meeting the threshold for an official response from KBS.

Subsequently, on the 14th, Namyam Entertainment issued a statement: "We apologize for any confusion or concern caused regarding the OST. The song performed by Hwang Young-woong was recorded in advance according to the production schedule and will be released sequentially alongside the drama's broadcast as planned. We have decided to make it available through music platforms as scheduled."

It further added, "Although the song will not be used in the drama itself, we decided to release it to share with fans and listeners since production is already complete. There was no forced or inappropriate action taken on any matter."

However, KBS responded, "We raised concerns with Namyam Entertainment," noting that "regardless of controversies surrounding the singer, the company promoted a song that was never officially approved by KBS as part of the OST for the weekend drama 'Prescribing Love' as if it were an official OST."

Meanwhile, Hwang Young-woong faced allegations of school violence, prior assault convictions, and dating violence during his appearance on MBN's audition program "Burning Trotman" in 2023, leading him to voluntarily withdraw from the competition just before the finals. Following this, Hwang's side released his school records to deny the school violence allegations. His agency stated, "While there may have been conflicts or periods of confusion among friends during his school years, there is no truth to claims that he persistently bullied a specific individual or engaged in sadistic behavior as reported."

Nevertheless, opportunities for his return remained elusive, and even when news emerged earlier this year about his participation in local events, it sparked debate over whether he should be allowed back.

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*This content was translated by AI.