Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Back in November of last year, Kang Sung Hoon was accused by his fandom of embezzling funds through fansite Hoony World.
Last November, a group of SECHSKIES fans filed a complaint against Kang Sung Hoon and his fan club Hoony World for allegedly embezzling profits from a video screening session hosted as an event for SECHSKIES’s 20-year debut anniversary on April 15, 2017. Hoony World was accused of falsely recording the profits as if they were donated while actually embezzling the profits.
Today, the authorities dropped charges against him due to lack of evidence, but it sounds like more of a technicality.
On July 17, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office dropped charges on Kang Sung Hoon for embezzlement and fraud due to lack of evidence. Fans had argued that the remaining 40 million won (approximately $33,900) excluding expenses from the video screening session had not been donated. Kang Sung Hoon was also accused of embezzling the remaining funds by transferring the money to bank accounts owned by Hoony World’s moderator and the moderator’s brother. The prosecution argued that the main purpose of the event was the video screening, not the donation, and because the fund-raising campaign was held voluntarily by fans, it is unreasonable to state that Kang Sung Hoon deceived his fans. They also explained that because Kang Sung Hoon and his fans had not decided on a specific amount or a charity to donate to, he is not guilty of embezzlement. News outlet Star News added that Kang Sung Hoon and Hoony World donated the sum after issues were raised.
So basically because fans voluntarily donated and it was judged that the purpose of the event was the video screening, even though the money had not been donated he wasn’t guilty of any crime. It also certainly sounds like any potential criminal charges were solved when him and the fansite donated the money after the fact, though it doesn’t make it any less weird that they just happened to hang on to that amount of money for so long cause they allegedly couldn’t agree on a place to donate it, especially since this is the third time he’s been accused of financial impropriety.
Of course, there’s still the weird issue of allegedly breaking into his ex-manager’s home, being common law married to a fansite admin whose brother has accused him of owing money, holding creepy fan beauty pageants, and generally shitting on other idols.
The best thing I can say is that … uh, at least it’s entertaining to watch this mess between him and his fans unfold and it’s not like some kind of serious crime like other male idols are being hit with.
