Ko Ji-yong, a former member of the K-pop group Sechs Kies, is breaking a long hiatus to perform alongside fellow members. The return draws attention as it comes after Ko's divorce and ahead of the group's 30th debut anniversary next year.
According to Mountain Movement Story, Ko will take the stage with Sechs Kies members Jang Su-won and Lee Jae-jin on Dec. 15 and 16 at Inspire Arena on Yeongjongdo, Incheon, for a show titled "THE TREE in INSPIRE — Sechs Kies' Untold Stories."
The event will feature music and talk segments in which the three will share memories and stories they have not previously told fans. Team leader Eun Ji-won and main dancer Kim Jae-deok will not take part in the performances.
Sechs Kies debuted in 1997 and will mark their 30th anniversary next year. After the group disbanded in 2000, Ko left the entertainment industry and pursued a career as a businessman. When Sechs Kies reunited through the MBC variety program "Infinite Challenge" in 2016, Ko made a surprise appearance at a guerrilla concert but did not join the group's official activities.
Since the group's disbandment, Ko had stayed away from performing and focused on business and personal life. Recently, however, Ko has found himself at the center of controversy after disclosing a divorce and facing allegations of unpaid child support.
Ko divorced general practitioner Heo Yang-im in July, and the two have since been engaged in a legal dispute over child support. The couple married in 2013 and had a son, but reportedly reached a mutual divorce agreement in April 2024.
Heo's side filed a lawsuit seeking approximately 40 million won ($30,000) in unpaid child support, while Ko filed for an injunction to prevent interference with visitation rights and to prohibit the posting of photos and videos of the child.
Ko has said that health problems — including liver cirrhosis and shock — that followed the divorce made it unavoidable to fall behind on child support payments.
betterj@heraldcorp.com
