Steve Yoo (Korean name Yoo Seung-jun), the singer who has been barred from entering South Korea for more than 20 years over a draft-dodging scandal, is facing fresh fury after remarks he posted on his YouTube channel.
On the 17th, Yoo uploaded a clip to his channel hinting at a comeback, titled . As the video ends, he looks into the camera, smiles, and says, "I barely know myself―how would anyone really know you? Who are you to judge, anyway? Do you guys actually keep every promise you make?"
The backlash from Koreans was immediate. Criticism poured in: "National defense isn’t a promise―it’s a duty." Others chimed in with snark like, "We keep our promises to the state," and "The law isn’t some casual agreement between friends."
In the same video, Yoo showed the faces and full names of his wife and four children, teasing vlogs that will share more of their life in the United States.
He also reflected on his career: "I started with nothing and made it this far. Looking back, I don’t think I lost that much. Surviving to now feels like a miracle," he said, adding, "I can’t end it like this―I still have dreams and passion left. Life is short."
Yoo, however, remains the central figure in an unprecedented draft-evasion case after obtaining U.S. citizenship following a conscription notice from Korea’s Military Manpower Administration. By framing the military controversy as if it were just a broken personal promise while teasing a comeback, his latest video only further chilled public sentiment.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)