Se7en speaks out on sex massage scandal - three years later

Se7en took to social media on Friday to debunk a rumor from more than three years ago that he had visited an illegal massage parlor while on mandatory military duty. / Korea Times file

By Ko Dong-hwan

More than three years after being embroiled in an illegal massage parlor scandal, K-pop singer Se7en has taken to social media to debunk the rumor and insist he is innocent.

“It was mentally stressful to ponder from yesterday where to start,” the star, 32, said on Instagram Friday morning. “I have let myself believe that fans will someday find out the truth. But, apparently, it turned out to be my fault not to have explained myself earlier. I was reluctant to speak up.”

The star, whose name is Choi Dong-wook, was doing mandatory military duty in the city of Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, in 2013 when he left the camp without permission with other celebrity colleagues and allegedly visited an illegal massage parlor. Photos of him and his friends outside the venue were spread online.

“Media reports had people believe that I had visited an illegal massage parlor to receive a sex service,” the singer said on SNS. “It’s not true. I first visited two Thai-Chinese style massage parlors that day but they were closed. Then I visited another place where I could get a massage by a blind masseuse.

Lee Da-hae

“But then I realized people might misunderstand me being here for an obscene reason, so I left the shop.”

The Ministry of National Defense investigated Se7en’s case, which developed into a huge scandal involving other celebrity soldiers charged with unethical conduct outside camps. The star said a month-long investigation had cleared him of the allegation of visiting an illegal massage parlor and only charged him with leaving the camp without permission.

“It was my apparent wrongdoing that I left the camp without permission,” Se7en said, promising he will not disappoint his fans again.

He finished military service in December 2014. The investigation delayed his discharge by 10 days.

Se7en made headlines Wednesday when it was reported that he is dating actress Lee Da-hae.