After diving mishap, paralyzed rapper asks for money to return from Thailand

A diving accident paralyzed rapper KK. Capture from Instagram of KK

By Dong Sun-hwa

Korean rapper KK, who was paralyzed in a diving accident in Thailand, will return to Korea on Saturday.

He asked people for money on Instagram, Wednesday, to pay his medical bills and transfer cost. Only a day later, reports said he would be back here and receive intensive care. It is unknown whether he got the money from the fundraising.

On Wednesday, his wife uploaded an online post on his behalf. He has been paralyzed since breaking his neck in a diving accident at a swimming pool in Chiang Mai, according to the post.

“I broke my fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae (neck bone) diving into the pool at my accommodation,” the post reads. “I am now living from day to day at the intensive care unit at a hospital in Chiang Mai. I am feeling helpless about unaffordable medical bills here.”

He has been hospitalized for about 10 days and the medical cost is over 60 million won ($53,000), according to the post. He said he also needed 10 million won to be transferred back to Korea.

“I am ashamed to say this, but I beg for your help for the first and the last time.”

His bank account number was revealed in the post.

KK, also known as KEIKEI, appeared on Mnet's hip-hop competition show “Show Me The Money 6” in 2017. He lost hearing in his left ear due to an infection when he was six.