"I can't even earn enough for my beloved pets' food."
Ko Young-wook, a former member of the mixed group Lula, has come under controversy for expressing the difficulties of returning to society and his extreme financial struggles. He candidly revealed his feelings of despair after nearly 14 years of being unemployed through his SNS.
Recently, he posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, "Although the purpose of rehabilitation is to help members return to society, the world unconditionally avoids me." He mentioned his specific period of isolation, saying, "I have been unemployed for exactly 13 years, 8 months, and 21 days."
He continued, saying, "There is no place for me in this society," and questioned whether there is any way to earn even the cost of dog food, expressing his economic hardships. Along with this, he shared a video of the song 'Free Man' by One More Chance, which is interpreted as a reflection of his situation of having nowhere to go.
In 2013, Ko Young-wook was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for charges of sexual assault and forced molestation of a minor. At that time, he caused a significant social stir as he was the first celebrity to be ordered to wear an electronic bracelet for 3 years and have his personal information disclosed for 5 years.
After his release, he opened Instagram and YouTube channels and attempted to return several times, but his accounts were repeatedly closed due to platform regulations related to his sexual offense history and public reports. Currently, he intermittently shares updates through X, which is his only communication channel, but public sentiment remains cold. Given the seriousness of crimes against minors, it is widely pointed out that his appeals are unlikely to gain public sympathy.
