Trot singer Kim Ho Joong's fan club has expressed its unwavering support for the singer despite his latest prison sentence.
Previously, Kim Ho Joong, who was indicted on charges of drunk driving and hit-and-run, withdrew his appeal and finalized a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months. According to the legal circle, the trot singer initially submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court on the 13th but ultimately decided to drop it.
Kim Ho Joong was indicted for fleeing the scene after hitting a taxi in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul in May last year, and for instructing his manager to falsely turn himself in. He appeared at the police station 17 hours after the accident, but suspicions arose that he had drunk more alcohol after the accident, leading to allegations of attempting to cover up evidence.
Both the first and second trial courts sentenced Kim Ho Joong to 2 years and 6 months in prison. The court stated, “Considering the substantial amount of alcohol consumed, video footage from the bar, dashcam footage, and witness testimonies, it is determined that the defendant was driving in a state where his cognitive and decision-making abilities were impaired.”
Kim Ho Joong submitted an appeal just six days after the verdict, but after legal review, he ultimately chose to forgo further legal action.
After news of Kim Ho Joong’s decision to withdraw his appeal was made public, his fan club released an official statement through his fan café. They said, “We must respect his decision. What’s most important now is for us to do everything we can to support his faster return.”
They also refuted certain rumors related to the appeal withdrawal. “Claims that the singer appointed a public defender because he couldn't afford a lawyer are clearly a distortion of the facts,” the fan club stated. “Even after the appeal, he continued meeting and consulting with his private legal team, and had already finalized a contract for the Supreme Court appeal.”
They continued, “Ultimately, based on the artist's own judgment, all legal actions were withdrawn, and the court appointed a public defender automatically in accordance with criminal procedure. The public defender’s name only appeared temporarily in the case search system due to this process.”
The fan club further emphasized, “Spreading false claims about the singer’s financial situation or suggesting he is isolated is a matter of defamation. The official fan café will respect his wishes and prepare for his return with unity and composure.”
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