![Singer MC Mong (left) and Cha Ga-won, chairman of One Hundred Label. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/06/12/news-p.v1.20260603.b8283744d7004aee85d28f473cecdfc5_P1.jpg)
Singer MC Mong publicly denied allegations of illegal gambling last month, claiming he had exposed an entertainment industry gambling ring. Now a leaked phone call has cast doubt on those denials.
A YouTube channel called "Entertainment Insider Lee Jin-ho" uploaded a video Thursday titled "Original recording of MC Mong's call — 'I'm getting married now' — his shocking two faces."
The video contains a transcript of a phone call that Cha Jun-young — the uncle of One Hundred Label chairman Cha Ga-won — says he had with MC Mong on May 8.
According to the recording, MC Mong called Cha and pleaded: "Please let me be on your side," "I will follow your wishes," "I can't stand Cha Ga-won tormenting me" and "Please save me."
When MC Mong begged, "Please get me out of the media coverage," Cha shot back: "Weren't you the one who dragged me into this? Did I go to you and try to extort your company?" MC Mong replied, "Yes, you're right," but continued to plead repeatedly: "I'm getting married now. Please leave me out of this" and "Please stop the PD Notebook investigation and everything else."
When Cha said, "You've destroyed my reputation in the press like this," MC Mong replied, "I never did that. I'll stop now."
Cha then asked, "What do you mean you didn't? Then did I? Are you saying you never spent the money [a person] gave you?" MC Mong said no. Cha pressed further: "You spent 12 billion won ($8.7 million), and that was all money [that person] sent because of your gambling — wasn't it? Be a man and take responsibility for what you did." MC Mong did not dispute the claim.
Cha said he had tried to mediate between the two parties so MC Mong could leave and start fresh on good terms. "Both of you had a chance from last June through October. I thought there was money in the company — that you'd get paid and leave, and [the other party] would sell the company and cover what was spent. Am I wrong?" MC Mong replied, "You're right."
MC Mong later complained during a personal livestream on May 20 that the recording had been leaked to the press. He said he "didn't even respond" to Cha's remark about the 12 billion won because he found it "so absurd," and claimed he did not know Cha. He also alleged during the broadcast that Cha had led an illegal celebrity gambling ring that included singer Kim Min-jong and others.
MC Mong co-founded the entertainment agency One Hundred Label with chairman Cha Ga-won in 2023. The company drew attention by signing a string of prominent artists, including singers Lee Seung-gi, Lee Mu-jin and EXO-CBX, but later became embroiled in allegations that it failed to pay artists their settlement fees and withheld employee salaries. The controversy deepened when allegations emerged that company funds had been siphoned off to finance MC Mong's gambling.
The article also references a separate report on singer and actor Lee Seung-gi and allegations surrounding a 10.5 billion won ($7.6 million) jeonse — a lump-sum deposit rental arrangement — on a luxury villa, with Cha Ga-won's side claiming Lee had requested the jeonse deal first to avoid taxes as a multi-property owner.
paq@heraldcorp.com
