Singer Jeong Dong-won admits underage driving, ready for punishment

Singer Jeong Dong-won / Showplay Entertainment

Singer Jeong Dong-won (JD1) has admitted to driving without a license as a minor, after it was belatedly revealed that prosecutors had indicted him on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act.

According to a News1 report on Sept. 11, Jeong, now 18, was referred to prosecutors earlier this year for driving a car without a license in a provincial city in 2023, when he was 16.

Korean law allows individuals to obtain a driver’s license starting at 18. Violating this law can result in up to 10 months in prison or a fine of 3 million won ($2,200).

Showplay Entertainment, Jeong’s agency, issued a statement acknowledging the incident. “Jeong practiced driving for about 10 minutes near his family home in Hadong, accompanied by a passenger who recorded it,” the agency said, adding that the singer deeply regrets the mistake.

The agency also disclosed that the case surfaced after Jeong was blackmailed. An unnamed acquaintance stole Jeong’s phone and, along with accomplices, accessed his photo album.

They threatened to release video footage of the underage driving unless he paid more than 200 million won. Jeong refused, reported them to police, and the suspects are now on trial for extortion.

“Jeong has sincerely reflected on his actions and is prepared to accept legal punishment,” the agency said. “We will do our best to guide and educate him so he can grow into a more responsible member of society.”

This is not the first time Jeong has faced controversy over driving. In 2023, he was booked without detention for illegally riding a motorcycle on Seoul’s Dongbu Expressway, which is restricted to motor vehicles. Prosecutors at the time granted a suspension of indictment, citing his age, inexperience and remorse.

The agency also apologized then, saying he had mistakenly entered a restricted road during his first motorcycle ride.

Jeong, born in 2007, is a popular trot singer and actor. He debuted in 2019 with the EP “Miracle,” rose to fame through the music competition show “Mr. Trot” in 2020, and in 2024 launched his career as JD1 with the single “Who Am I.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.