'Violent Offender' Hwang Young-woong Pushes Ahead with OST Release.. KBS Says "No Approval, Raised Concerns" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Controversy is spreading over singer Hwang Young-woong's participation in a drama OST following his suspension from broadcasting activities due to past allegations of school violence and prior convictions for assault. After the OST production company proceeded with releasing the music, petitions both supporting and opposing the move have emerged, while KBS, the broadcaster, and the OST production company appear to hold conflicting positions.

The controversy erupted on the 10th when Namyam Entertainment, the OST production company, officially confirmed Hwang Young-woong's participation in the OST for KBS 2TV 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 proceeded with a lineup including Hwang Young-woong and several trot singers." They added, "This decision was made considering musical composition as part of OST vocal participation, not through drama appearances or separate broadcasting activities."

However, public sentiment remains cold. Following the announcement of the music release, a petition opposing Hwang Young-woong's OST participation appeared. On the 11th, on the KBS viewer petition platform, one netizen pointed out, "KBS is a 'public broadcaster' operated with taxpayers' precious reception fees. It has a heavy responsibility to uphold social values beyond ratings and set public interest and moral standards." The petition gathered over 200 endorsements, meeting the threshold for an official response from KBS.

On the other hand, there are voices welcoming his return. One netizen argued, "He has clarified the school violence allegations, and despite verification revealing those claims to be false, personal attacks continue. A public broadcaster should not become a venue for public trials."

As the controversy grew, both KBS and the OST production company issued explanations, yet their positions remain at odds. On the 14th, Namyam Entertainment stated, "We apologize for any confusion or concern caused regarding the OST," while adding, "The songs sung by Hwang Young-woong were recorded in advance according to the production schedule that will release them sequentially alongside the drama broadcast. We have decided to make them available through music platforms as planned."

They further added, "Although the songs will not be used in the drama itself, we decided to release them since production is complete and wish to share them with fans and listeners. There was no forced implementation of any matter."

However, KBS's position differed. KBS stated that it had "raised concerns" with the OST production company. On the same day, KBS told StarNews, "Regardless of the controversy surrounding this singer, we did not approve any songs for the OST of our weekend drama 'Prescribing Love,' yet they were promoted as if they were official OSTs."

Meanwhile, Hwang Young-woong withdrew voluntarily from the finals of MBN's audition program "Burning Trotman" in 2023 amid allegations of school violence, prior assault convictions, and dating violence. Following this, Hwang's side released his school records to deny the school violence allegations. His agency explained, "While there may have been conflicts or periods of confusion among friends during his school years, there is no fact that he persistently bullied a specific individual or engaged in sadistic acts as reported."

Nevertheless, his path to return has remained blocked, and even when news emerged earlier this year about his participation in local events, it sparked controversy over support versus opposition. Attention now focuses on how the situation surrounding Hwang Young-woong, once again at the center of controversy over OST release, will be resolved.

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*This content was translated by AI.