BJ Cheolgu (36, real name Lee Ye-jun), a prominent internet broadcaster who admitted to gambling overseas and was sued by acquaintances over 6 billion won ($4.53 million) in unpaid debts, returned to streaming after a three-month absence.
Cheolgu went live Friday on Soop, formerly known as AfreecaTV, marking his first broadcast in three months since confessing in July to overseas gambling and the use of illegal private loans.
He opened the stream with an awkward smile and an apology to fans. "I'm sorry," he said.
Cheolgu told viewers they did not need to send him virtual gifts — known as "star balloons" on the platform — saying he was not someone who deserved their support. Donations poured in regardless, prompting him to jump to his feet. "Thank you so much. You really don't have to," he said.
According to Pung Today, a website that tracks internet broadcasting revenue, Cheolgu received about 7.1 million won in star balloon donations that day.
During the broadcast, he addressed his debts and pledged to repay them.
On the dispute with fellow BJ Kay (real name Park Jung-gyu), who filed a fraud complaint against him, Cheolgu said the two sides see the matter differently. "Kay and I have different views on this. We are working it out at the police station. There is no answer yet," he said. He added that he intended to repay whatever amount was determined. "I will definitely pay it back, so there is no need to worry," he said.
Cheolgu also mentioned that he had filed a complaint against someone himself, though he declined to name the person. "There is someone I paid 3.5 billion won in interest over three years," he said.
Earlier, Cheolgu had acknowledged overseas gambling during a broadcast on July 28 and said he intended to turn himself in to authorities. He said he had gambled in the Philippines starting two years prior and spent more than 1 billion won on gambling in a single week. He also disclosed that he was assessed about 6 billion won in value-added tax in November 2025 and had his bank accounts seized.
In August, The Kay Entertainment — led by BJ Jjabgu (real name Jeong Geon-u) and Kay — filed a fraud complaint against Cheolgu. The two are said to have lent him 3.7 billion won and 2.295 billion won, respectively. The complainants said they had lent the money for purposes such as paying taxes or settling streaming revenue from Excel broadcasts, but alleged it may have been used for gambling or to cover other debts. Cheolgu, however, said the amounts he borrowed differed from what they claimed.
paq@heraldcorp.com
