MC Mong denies renewed draft-dodging allegations amid fresh controversy
Singer MC Mong / Korea Times file
Singer MC Mong has denied renewed allegations of draft dodging and publicly disclosed that he attempted to take his own life one month ago, a revelation that has shocked fans and the entertainment industry.
The controversy began when MC Mong posted photos of his home on social media, one of which showed a portrait resembling Adolf Hitler. Online criticism escalated, with some accusing him of displaying a Hitler portrait on his wall.
On Tuesday, he responded directly, explaining that the artwork was an early piece by artist Ok Seung-chul.
“This painting expresses human greed and brutality by depicting a person sucking blood through a straw-like shape in the beard,” he said. “Please understand it as art. It has been hanging for a very long time. I have shown it many times. Why is it suddenly a problem now?”
He added, “Some artworks are created to criticize or provoke. That does not mean anyone is worshipping the subject. I hate Hitler. I hate anyone who starts wars.”
However, the debate soon resurfaced allegations of draft evasion, an issue that has followed him for more than a decade. MC Mong posted a screenshot of an article linking the portrait controversy to his past legal case and issued a lengthy rebuttal.
“I told myself to stay quiet and everything would be fine,” he wrote. “I already had injuries to my cruciate ligament, neck and back that qualified me for exemption. I endured anyway. I was acquitted in the first trial, the second trial and the Supreme Court. Unlike other celebrities, I was found not guilty.”
He warned that he would take legal action against any media outlet or commenter who refers to him as a draft dodger. MC Mong left BPM Entertainment in July and said, “I don’t know why I’m being attacked the moment I leave the agency. Let’s go all the way this time.”
He also mentioned former THE BOYZ member Ju Hak-nyeon, who was removed from the group after a personal controversy. “Haknyeon never engaged in prostitution, yet articles claimed he did. People who do not understand art turned me into a Nazi,” he said.
In another post, MC Mong uploaded a photo showing what appeared to be self-inflicted injuries on his wrist. “I know how big this controversy will become and how much pain it will cause my family and fans. I’m sorry,” he wrote.
He said the incident happened a month ago. “Ten minutes after the attempt, the police arrived. I broke down crying when one officer said, ‘I listened to your music again today.’ I felt like I had lost everything. I wanted to die. But all I felt afterward was regret.”
MC Mong questioned how much of his story the public truly knows. “My last broadcast appearance was 17 years ago. Do people still see me as the ‘2 Days 1 Night’ monkey?” he said. “I fought because I was innocent of draft dodging. Do you think I’m trying to rebuild my image with a few donations of tens of billions of won? Absolutely not.”
He added, “Trying to take my own life was the most foolish act of my entire life. Whatever happens now, I will push through to the end. I will live fiercely from here on.”
He closed by saying, “Remember that I am someone who carries an un-erasable wound.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.