2PM’s Taecyeon Recounts “Striking” A Student Who Asked Him For A Picture
2PM‘s Taecyeon (also known as Ok Taec Yeon) explained a shocking story about striking a student who asked for a photo.
Taecyeon recently guested on DIVE Studios‘ Daebak Show w/ Eric Nam to promote his new K-Drama Heartbeat. During the episode, Eric Nam also asked him about acting, music, 2PM, and some iconic viral stories about himself.
One story that Eric asked Taecyeon to fact-check occurred a decade ago. Allegedly, Taecyeon “struck” a Yonsei University student because they asked him for a picture.
In the 2013 The Yonsei vs Korea Sports Competition, you struck a Yonsei University student with a cheering stick who approached you for a picture.
— Eric Nam
Taecyeon: Wait. Struck is not…
Eric Nam: You attacked!
Taecyeon: What?! That sounds so bad.
Eric Nam: *laughs*
Taecyeon: You make it sound like I’m a very…
Eric Nam: No, no, no, I’m just reading. You completely “skewered” somebody with a cheering stick.
Taecyeon: Skewered, alright. First of all… Attacked? Eh. Skewered? No!
Firstly, Taecyeon clarified what his “weapon” was. Initially, Eric was concerned that it was like a javelin…
Taecyeon explained that it was like an inflatable balloon or soft foam stick. These can be used at events to cheer, making noise when two are clapped together.
First of all, I was not hitting people!
— Taecyeon
Taecyeon gave context for the story too. He revealed that he attended a competition as a Korea University graduate. Yonsei University and his school have a rivalry.
Korea, Yonsei, and whatnot, they all have this rivalry, right. I was part of the Korea University graduate school, so I went to see it in 2013, and it was fun, it was great. And it was my first time participating in that event.
— Taecyeon
After the event, the students go party. So, Taecyeon went out to drink, where he ran into Yonsei students.
And since I’m Korean University graduate school student, I would go to Anam and I would like drink, and I’d be decently drunk, and I would see some of the Yonsei students … They’re all wearing blue; we’re all wearing red.
— Taecyeon
When Korea University and Yonsei University students ran into each other, they maintained the friendly competition by yelling out stuff at each other. In this spirit, Taecyeon retorted, “No,” and teasingly pushed a Yonsei University student away with his cheering stick when they approached him for a fan photo.
Taecyeon: We just like yell stuff out while we’re walking, and some of the kids wearing blue, they’re just coming up to me, saying, ‘Can you take a picture?’ And I’m like, ‘No,’ and I gently…
Eric Nam: And you attacked them!
Taecyeon: No! *laughs*
Eric Nam: *laughs*
Taecyeon: I gently pushed them away!
Eric Nam: Okay. Got it.
Eric Nam also provided the “photographic evidence,” proving that it was not as bad as it sounded. Still, even Taecyeon confessed it wasn’t the best image.
That sounds very bad. I mean, that looks bad, but gently pushing them away…
— Taecyeon
We know it was all in good fun! Taecyeon is pretty much the opposite of his character in Vincenzo.
Read more from Taecyeon’s interview with Eric Nam below.
