'Culinary Class Wars 2' chef Im Seong-geun reveals being convicted for 3 drunk driving incidents
Chef Im Seong-geun, who competed in the second season of the South Korean cooking show Culinary Class Wars, admitted to having three prior drunk-driving convictions.
On his YouTube channel Imjjang TV, Seong-geun posted a video titled "Food and Drink," where he talked about several incidents where he was caught driving under the influence three times over a period of 10 years.
"When you drink, you sleep in the car. I was sleeping in the car when the police caught me, and I explained the situation," he said, as translated by The Chosun Daily.
"But they asked why someone who had been drinking was sitting in the driver’s seat with the engine on. Later, I found out that you should sit with the engine off," he added.
When his production team pointed out that he was admitting to his mistake, he said, "I did wrong, so I accept it. I don’t want to cover up my mistake. That’s why I received criminal punishment, had my license revoked, and reacquired it."
"I don’t want to hide myself. It’s right to apologize to my subscribers. I’m not hiding it. I’m sorry to my subscribers for causing unnecessary worry," Seong-geun said.
When asked if his sudden popularity brought about by his appearance at Culinary Class Wars had become "mentally burdensome" for him, Seong-geun confessed that it did.
"The sudden overwhelming love became a burden. Living a busy and tough life, I drank a lot, but I hope you will forgive me generously. I’m grateful for your great love. I will live carefully so as not to cause problems," he said.
However, many expressed disappointment over his admission, with some criticizing his actions and questioning his judgment. Following this, Seong-geun posted a handwritten apology on his channel, taking responsibility for his past actions.
"First, I deeply apologize to all fans and viewers who have supported and encouraged me. Today, I wish to confess a grave mistake from my past that has weighed heavily on my heart and sincerely apologize and seek forgiveness," he said, as translated by Chosun.
He stressed that drunk driving is a "mistake that cannot be excused under any circumstances."
"As I received excessive love recently, I felt it was disrespectful and deceptive to continue my activities while hiding past wrongdoings from those who trust me," Seong-geun wrote.
"I judged that confessing this fact through my own words and apologizing before it’s too late was the right thing to do, which led me to post this message today," he continued.
He ended his message by underscoring that he will discipline himself to become a chef who can "exert positive influence on society," while never forgetting his past mistakes.
Meanwhile, a report from Soompi claimed that his scheduled appearances on the entertainment programs Knowing Bros and Fun-Staurant have been canceled amid the issue. His stints on other shows such as Hangout with Yoo and The Manager are currently being discussed.
Seong-geun first gained prominence as the winner of tvN’s Hansik Battle 3 in 2015. His participation in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 further skyrocketed his fame due to his standout wit and cooking skills.
He was eliminated in the Infinite Cooking Hell challenge in the semi-finals of the reality cooking competition.