Singer Kim Ho-joong [Yonhap]
Singer Kim Ho-joong [Yonhap]

Singer Kim Ho-joong, 35, who had been serving time on drunk-driving and hit-and-run charges, was released on parole Tuesday morning. His recent hints at a return to music have drawn public attention.

According to legal sources, Kim was released Tuesday morning from Somang Prison in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.

Kim received a final determination of eligibility after the Ministry of Justice's parole review board assessed his conduct, finding he had maintained an exemplary record while incarcerated.

Sentenced to two years and six months in prison, Kim had served two years and one month of his term. His sentence was set to expire in November, but the parole decision allows him to walk free about five months early.

For now, Kim is expected to focus on his health, including treatment for a pre-existing ankle condition. His agency said both ankles require surgery.

Whether he will return to the stage after recovering is also drawing attention. In a letter recently shared on his fan cafe, Kim wrote: "Two years of punishment are coming to an end. I will keep my wrongdoing carved into my bones" — but added, "I will rise again somehow. I will sing. I will not give up."

However, public reaction has been largely cold. "Even if he gets out, he should not be allowed back in the music industry," one internet user wrote. Another criticized fans who continue to support him, saying, "The problem is the fans who shield someone like that and keep listening to his music."

Observers note that public sentiment is so hostile because Kim's offenses went far beyond a simple drunk-driving hit-and-run — he and his agency systematically deceived investigators to cover up the crime, and he also committed gapjil, or workplace abuse, against an employee.

On May 9, 2024, Kim drove drunk in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, collided with an oncoming taxi and fled the scene. The accident itself was relatively minor.

The far more serious problems arose from his efforts to conceal the crime. Kim flatly denied being drunk and consumed additional alcohol after the accident to manipulate the timeline — a tactic intended to confuse investigators. Once his methods became known, a string of copycat incidents followed, with offenders apparently adopting the same approach of fleeing the scene and drinking afterward.

Kim also pressured a junior employee to falsely turn himself in to police, claiming he had been the one driving. One employee did appear before investigators wearing Kim's clothes and submitted a false confession on the agency's orders. Kim's agency also destroyed evidence by removing the memory card from the dashcam in his vehicle.


paq@heraldcorp.com