Rapper Noel, whose real name is Jang Yong-jun. [Yonhap]
Rapper Noel, whose real name is Jang Yong-jun. [Yonhap]

Rapper Noel, whose real name is Jang Yong-jun, has pushed back against rumors of 20 billion won tax evasion and drug use.

On Saturday, Noel held a live session on his social media account to talk with fans.

During the broadcast, a viewer left a comment asking why he had evaded 20 billion won in taxes. Noel replied, "I don't have 20 billion won."

He then asked someone to remove the relevant entry from Namu Wiki, an online encyclopedia. "It says I own a building worth 100 billion won — if I had 100 billion won, why would I be making music? Please, someone delete that," he said.

He then laughed it off, saying, "But hey, that's not bad. I'll just be a chaebol. Sure, let's say I have it."

His reaction to the drug allegations was markedly different. Using profanity, Noel said, "Come pull out one of my hairs. See what comes out. You don't even know what you're talking about," making clear his irritation.

The questions appear to have been prompted by the recent detention of Kim Gam-jeon, a fellow rapper at Noel's label Indigo Music, on charges related to marijuana.

Meanwhile, Noel is the son of the late former lawmaker Jang Je-won. He first gained public attention in 2017 through Mnet's "High School Rapper" and "Show Me the Money 6." He later received a suspended prison sentence in 2019 on charges including drunk driving and switching drivers at the scene of an accident. In 2021, he was indicted on charges of driving without a license and refusing a breathalyzer test, for which he was sentenced to one year in prison.


choigo@heraldcorp.com