Actor Choi Jin Hyuk will be halting all of his activities after he was caught drinking at an illegally operating bar.
In a statement shared by his agency G-Tree Creative, they shared that while he was indeed drinking with a friend, he did not know the bar was operating illegally.
Hello, this is Choi Jin Hyuk’s agency G-Tree Creative.
We sincerely apologize for causing concern while everyone is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
On October 6, Choi Jin Hyuk violated the social distancing rules while together with an acquaintance. He did not know that the bar he was at was illegally operating, as his friend said it was open until 10pm. So he misunderstood and believed it wouldn’t be an issue to be there until 10pm.
Since it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was careful to show himself drinking to others before 10pm. He was looking for a place to drink quietly and went to a place his friend recommended. However, he was caught violating the social distancing guidelines around 8:20pm, as he was at a bar that should not have been operating at all at the current [level 4] social distancing.
We know that ignorance and misbehavior without properly checking the social distancing guidelines is very embarrassing and there is no excuse for the wrongdoings. Therefore, we would like to bow our head in apology. Choi Jin Hyuk will reflect on his actions and make sure he does not make the same mistake again. As an agency, we will always make every effort to manage our celebrities. He will halt all activities and reflect on his actions. Once again, we apologize.
— G-Tree Creative
Choi Jin Hyuk was caught at an entertainment bar around 8:20pm KST on October 6. He was booked by police for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention Act. The bar he visited was subject to level 4 social distancing regulations, which state that business is completely banned.
