Uhm Tae-woong appears at official event for first time in 8 years following scandal

Actor Uhm Tae-woong / Korea Times file

Actor Uhm Tae-woong made his first official public appearance in eight years on Tuesday, attending the VIP premiere of "Yadang: The Snitch" at Megabox COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul.

It marked Uhm’s return to public life following a high-profile scandal in 2016. His last official appearance was during a press conference at the 21st Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia for the release of the film "Fork Lane." After posing for photos at the "Yadang: The Snitch" premiere, Uhm expressed his support for director Hwang Byeong-guk and wished the film success.

Uhm was accused in 2016 of sexually assaulting a hostess bar employee. Although he was cleared on sexual assault charges, Uhm was fined 1 million won ($720) for solicitation of prostitution through a summary indictment.

The incident significantly impacted Uhm’s public image, especially given his popularity at the time in a reality show. Since then, aside from his appearance in "Fork Lane," he has remained largely inactive in the entertainment industry.

In 2023, it was reported that Uhm would return to acting in director Yoo Ha’s upcoming drama "I Kill You," but the project’s future remains uncertain.

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