Comedian Kim Dae-beom. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]
Comedian Kim Dae-beom. [Herald POP (now Herald Muse) provided]

Comedian Kim Dae-beom has again spoken out against drunk-driving rumors that have followed him for more than two years.

On Sunday, Kim posted on his Instagram: "There are still people leaving comments calling me a drunk driver — how many times do I have to explain myself? I have never driven drunk. Not once."

Kim said the rumors began after a comedian surnamed K was reported to have driven drunk, with news articles describing the suspect as born in 1979 and known for military-themed comedy. "Since I was born in 1979, my surname starts with K, and I do military content, people suspected me," he wrote. "Actually, it wasn't even suspicion — people just started leaving hateful comments treating me as the drunk driver."

He said he had posted a clarification at the time, and that the comedian who actually drove drunk later appeared on his YouTube channel to apologize to him and to viewers. "But nobody paid any attention to the clarification video," Kim said.

"Let me say it again: I did not drive drunk," he added. "And of course I never will."

The rumors trace back to 2024, when a comedian in his 40s was booked without detention by the Incheon Seobu Police Station on drunk-driving charges.

News reports at the time described the suspect as having debuted in 2004 and appeared on a terrestrial broadcast comedy program, prompting widespread online speculation that pointed to Kim, who suffered considerable distress as a result.

Kim debuted in 2004 as a 19th-class open-recruitment comedian at KBS and went on to appear in sketches including "Mabbagi" and "Dancing Investigation Line" on the variety show "Gag Concert."


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