Former WINNER Member Nam Tae-hyun Invited to K-pop Festival After Drug Scandal: Deserves a Second Chance?
Comedian Yoon Hyung-bin is facing questions after announcing that Nam Tae-hyun, former member of WINNER and a convicted drug offender, will participate in the upcoming “K-pop Week in Hongdae” event.
Nam Tae-hyun Invited to K-pop Festival
Speaking at a press conference on April 23 in Seoul, Yoon addressed the decision to include Nam in the festival lineup, which also features MBLAQ’s Seungho, CLC’s Yeeun, and rookie girl group RB among others.
Nam Tae-hyun previously made headlines in 2022 after being convicted for methamphetamine use. He received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, prompting intense public backlash.
Yoon acknowledged the sensitivity of the decision, “I knew it would be controversial because of his past, so I was very cautious,” he said. “But after looking into it, I found that public sentiment wasn’t as negative as expected. He’s been doing a lot of good recently.”
Yoon shared that he met with Nam personally before making the decision, “When we met, it felt like meeting a younger brother. He’s very remorseful and really wants to be on stage again.”
Nam himself expressed concern over public reception, “He asked me, ‘Won’t people be uncomfortable with me being there?’” Yoon revealed. “But I thought this smaller, more intimate setting might be a meaningful place for those who still want to see him perform.”
Comedian Dreams of Becoming “The Next Bang Si-hyuk”
Yoon also told the media outlets that he has been producing K-Pop idols for five years and that he wants to turn Hongdae (a popular area in Seoul) into a “K-Pop mecca.”
“I am a comedian, but I also dream of becoming the next Bang Si-hyuk. I’ve been producing K-pop idols for five years now. One thing I really wanted to do during the production process was to turn Hongdae into a K-Pop mecca. I was inspired by Shin-Okubo’s K-pop town in Japan. There are many active K-Pop live theaters there, which made me wonder, ‘Shouldn’t Korea, the birthplace of K-Pop, also have spaces like this too?’ I kept thinking, ‘Why do idols need to go all the way to Japan to perform?’ I figured Hongdae would be the perfect place to bring this vision to life.“
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It was also noted that Yoon had planned the event to take place before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After having been postponed so long, “K-Pop Week In Hongdae” is set to happen in May 2025.
“K-pop Week in Hongdae” aims to showcase the diversity of K-pop beyond massive arenas. The event will run from May 1 to 11 across several small venues near Hongdae, including K-pop Stage, West Bridge, Musinsa Garage, and H-Stage.
While some netizens praised the festival’s inclusive approach and Nam’s reported efforts to turn over a new leaf, others criticized the move as premature and insensitive.