Singer and actor Kim Min-jong has announced he will take strong legal action against gambling rumors and personal life allegations that surfaced following a live broadcast by MC Mong, labeling them "clearly false."
On May 19, OhKims Law Firm, representing Kim Min-jong, stated in an official release, "Groundless rumors regarding Kim Min-jong's private life and malicious allegations are spreading indiscriminately, centered around online communities and social media. All of the content currently being discussed is clearly false."
The firm continued, "Sensational and malicious defamatory content is being spread without any verification of facts or the guarantee of a right to reply. Kim Min-jong, his family, and his fans are suffering from severe mental distress and social harm. Kim Min-jong's position is to respond directly without any compromise," adding, "We plan to hold those responsible legally after verifying the facts regarding the claims in question."
Kim Min-jong also shared a personal statement, saying, "My heart is heavy as my name has been mentioned amidst various stories, causing worry and confusion for many people. The content currently being raised is not true." He added, "After fully verifying the facts, I plan to pursue civil and criminal liability where necessary. I will act cautiously so as not to disappoint those who have trusted and supported me for a long time."
The controversy began on May 18 when MC Mong was refuting allegations of illegal gambling surrounding himself during a TikTok live broadcast.
During the broadcast, MC Mong mentioned a so-called "Badugi gambling ring," claiming, "There is a gambling group where billions of won are wagered." He also stated, "Mr. A, a relative of Chairman Cha Ga-won, had a secret five-year relationship with a middle-aged actress, B. Actress B's daughter calls him 'father'."
He further alleged that Mr. A visits bars twice a week to gamble and gives tens of millions of won in tips to entertainment establishment employees in Japan. He claimed that famous actors, star MCs, relatives of world stars, and the agency heads of singers currently in prison were involved in the group, even mentioning some names, which escalated the situation.
Although MC Mong asserted during the broadcast, "Go ahead and sue me. I have evidence. Let's go to the end," the veracity of these allegations has not been confirmed as of yet.
Meanwhile, in the same broadcast, MC Mong completely denied the illegal gambling allegations surrounding himself, stating, "I have never even bought a cup of coffee with company money."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)