Ko Young-wook. [Newsis]
Ko Young-wook. [Newsis]

Ko Young-wook, a former singer who served prison time for sex crimes and was banned from broadcasting, has posted a pointed message directed at Tak Jae-hoon and former members of the group Rula.

On Sunday, Ko posted a lengthy message on his X (formerly Twitter) account after meeting with the head of Rula's agency, recounting their conversation in detail. "I had a great time with the Rula president that day, talking about old times," he wrote.

Ko claimed he had once threatened to pull Rula from a television appearance unless the then-unknown Tak Jae-hoon was also given a slot. "Because of that, Rula had no choice but to ride the 'Yeongja Bus' together with Tak Jae-hoon," he wrote. The Yeongja Bus was a popular bus-skit segment from the 1994 SBS Saturday variety program "Gippun Uri Toyoil," featured in a corner called "Yeongja's Golden Age."

Ko also alleged that the agency head would sometimes bring Tak along on overseas trips, and that Tak had once received a birthday gift — a bag meant for Ko — from the president but kept it without a word.

"Do you really think you, Tak Jae-hoon and the Rula members, could have made it this far without the president?" Ko wrote. "If you want to fulfill even your last duty, reach out to him and make sure to visit. The time he has left may not be long."

Ko debuted with Rula in 1994 and scored hits including "3!4!" and "Nalgae Ilheun Cheonsa" ("Angel Without Wings"). In 2013, he received a two-year-six-month prison sentence for sex crimes against minors and served the term. After his release, he attempted to launch a YouTube channel in 2023 but shut it down within a day, and has since posted occasional updates and personal reflections on social media.


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