Joo Byung-jin, Devastated by the 'Viper Scam Incident': "The Wound Will Never Heal Until I Die" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Broadcaster Joo Byung-jin confessed to the trauma he suffered from a past false accusation of rape.

On the episode of tvN STORY's "What's the Point of Leaving It?" broadcast on the 5th, Joo Byung-jin recalled being caught up in what was once known as the "Viper Scam Incident" and shared his difficult state of mind at the time.

That day, he began by saying, "As I started to feel a sense of despair or a dark cloud gathering, I learned how terrifying the world can be."

He had been enjoying success in both broadcasting and business when he was suddenly engulfed by a false accusation of rape. Joo Byung-jin stated, "Destroying someone's life for one's own greed is a great sin. It would be better to take their life. If you ruin someone's life, they have to live in darkness for those long years. The pain is beyond words."

Previously, Joo Byung-jin was involved in the so-called "Viper Scam Incident" in 2000. At the time, after meeting with a woman identified as A, who claimed to be a college student, he was sued on charges of assault and rape against her. After two years of legal battles, he received an acquittal and cleared his name, but suffered significant damage to his image.

He said, "The wound in my heart is never erased. It continues to cause me pain until I die." He added, "When things got really hard and darkness began to appear, I went to Hannam Bridge in the early morning. As I walked along the Han River, there was something on the railing in the darkness."

He continued, "Something was moving. A man had taken off his shoes neatly and was swaying his body over the railing. In that moment, I thought something terrible had happened. I quietly went over and hugged him tightly," adding, "I believe we saved each other."

Joo Byung-jin added, "When you are young, you only look forward. You have to look back as you get older. But when you are young, you must always look behind you. Only then can you properly move forward."

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*This content was translated by AI.