Singer out of tune on Korean Air flight
Singer Bobby Kim
By Jung Min-ho
Singer Bobby Kim is under investigation in the United States for causing a disturbance on a plane and sexually harassing a female flight attendant.
According to Korean Air on Friday, the Korean-American, apparently drunk, yelled at flight attendants on Flight KE023, bound for San Francisco from Incheon, Wednesday.
Some passengers were moved to different seats because of Kim’s behavior.
Kim, 41, also allegedly sexually harassed a flight attendant by touching her waist and arm, with other passengers nearby trying to stop him. Kim allegedly made lewd remarks, asking what hotel she would stay in and asking for her phone number.
Kim’s agency, Oscar Entertainment, said the singer was upset after the airline gave him an economy seat instead of a business class seat.
He was on his way for a vacation at his sister’s home in San Francisco.
“He repeatedly complained to flight attendants, asking for his seat to be upgraded, but they refused,” an Oscar spokesperson said. “He was upset because there was an empty business seat. He then started drinking wine heavily. He said he doesn’t remember exactly what he did.”
“We are sorry about the mistake,” a Korean Air official said. “But it is wrong to scream on a plane and sexually harass a female flight attendant.”
Kim was escorted off the plane in San Francisco, where FBI and airport security officials questioned him.
Two Korean flight attendants, and two passengers who were sitting next to Kim, were also questioned as witnesses.
Oscar said Kim called the head of Korean Air’s San Francisco branch twice and said he would like to apologize to the crew members in person.
“We are sorry about the incident. We will cooperate with the investigation as much as we can,” the Oscar spokesperson said.