Ko Young-wook, the former K-pop star best known for his role in the group Roo’ra, has ignited significant controversy with the recent launch of his YouTube channel. This move has been met with widespread criticism due to his 2013 conviction for sexually assaulting and harassing underage girls.
On August 5, Ko Young-wook uploaded his debut video to his newly created YouTube channel. The video, which features a brief glimpse of his pet dog and a photograph of himself, has already garnered around 210,000 views. Despite the high view count, the comment section of the video has been disabled, possibly due to anticipated negative feedback.
In the video, Ko Young-wook stated that his decision to start the channel was not part of a grandiose comeback plan but rather an attempt to break the monotony of his “shameful” life. He expressed that he felt he was aging poorly and hoped that creating the channel might provide some distraction from his solitary existence. He also mentioned feeling conflicted about whether he should remain silent given his criminal record and voiced his regret over the impact on his family.
Ko Young-wook’s attempt to reconnect with the public via social media has been met with immediate backlash. Critics argue that his move to enter the digital space is an inappropriate attempt to rehabilitate his image after his serious criminal offenses. The 2013 Supreme Court ruling sentenced him to two and a half years in prison and required him to wear an ankle monitor for three years following his release. He served his prison term until 2015 and wore the monitoring device until 2018.
Previously, Ko Young-wook faced difficulties with social media. In 2020, he attempted to create an Instagram account but was banned shortly after. He also launched a Twitter account that remains inactive. His reappearance on social media through YouTube has sparked renewed discussions about his past crimes and the ethics of his public comeback.
As the former K-pop star navigates the complex terrain of his return to the public eye, the response to his YouTube presence underscores ongoing debates about accountability, rehabilitation, and the role of social media in shaping public perceptions of individuals with criminal records.
