Singer-songwriter Yoo Hee Yeol is set to make his return to broadcasting after a three-year break stemming from a plagiarism controversy.
On April 14th KST, MBC FM4U’s 'Bae Chul Soo’s Music Camp' announced via official social media that Yoo Hee Yeol will serve as a special DJ from April 18th to 21st while regular host Bae Chul Soo is on vacation.
Yoo had been an active figure on various entertainment programs, including “The Joy of Conversation”, “Superband 2”, “Sing Again 2”, “Famous Singer Battle Again”, and “New Festa”. However, in 2022, allegations surfaced that his piano piece “Very Private Night” plagiarized “Aqua” by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, prompting him to step away from public activities.
At the time, Yoo admitted, “After reviewing the situation, I acknowledge that the main theme of the piece is sufficiently similar.” He explained, “I wrote the song unconsciously influenced by one of the musicians I respect and was most influenced by. Though I believed it to be an original composition at the time, I can no longer deny the similarities between the two pieces.”
He added, “I deeply apologize for failing to examine it more carefully and for disappointing many people. I am especially sorry to Mr. Ryuichi Sakamoto and his fans for causing this unfortunate situation.”
In July of the same year, Yoo also addressed the ending of his long-running KBS2 program 'Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook', stating that while he acknowledged the similarity in one specific case, he disagreed with other plagiarism claims made about his works.
His upcoming guest DJ appearance will mark his first step back into the public eye since the controversy.
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