Member Of One Of The Biggest 1st Gen Kpop Idol Groups Says South Korea Should Legalize Prostitution
Kim Dong Wan, a member of Shinhwa and an actor, has come under fire after mentioning the need to legalize prostitution.
Recently, an online community post shared screenshots of Kim Dong Wan’s SNS comments. In the post, he wrote, “While trying to eliminate red-light districts, the whole country is becoming one,” adding that they should be “acknowledged and managed.”
He continued, “Seeing entertainment districts in front of churches, schools, and police substations, I can’t help but question it. They should be acknowledged and managed. As long as we have neglected the reality of the increasing number of single-person households, we shouldn’t just brush it off with the logic of ‘let’s just cover it up.’”
When one netizen agreed on the need for management through a legalized system, Kim Dong Wan responded, “Could you explain it a bit more briefly? In about four lines.” To another user who said they were unsure whether legalization was right, he replied, “The reason I believe it should be legalized is that there are people who cannot do it without paying. It’s also a matter of disease control,” reiterating his stance.
After the posts became public, many fans reacted negatively. Kim Dong Wan subsequently deleted the posts and closed the SNS account.
On the 19th, he later wrote on social media, “The culture of hate has grown excessively under the mask of anonymity. People intoxicated by incitement point knives at each other. We need an era where people take responsibility for their words,” expressing his views on online anonymity.
Currently, prostitution is illegal in most countries around the world, including South Korea. In Korea, both prostitution and mediation are illegal and punishable by one to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.
Beyond this issue, Kim Dong Wan has consistently raised opinions on social discussions. Last month, he said, “Rather than worrying about the birth rate in a way that doesn’t make sense, I wish we would look at youth suicide rates first,” speaking out about the low birth rate debate. He added, “Instead of saying we should have more children, we should first create a society where the children already born want to live,” and argued that there should be management and intervention for parents who fail to fulfill their parental roles.
Kim Dong Wan most recently appeared as Oh Heung Soo in the KBS drama Please Take Care of the Five Eagle Brothers!, which ended in August last year. In addition to dramas, he continues to connect with the public through films and theater productions such as White Rabbit Red Rabbit and First Love, Again Singing.
What do you think of his comments?
Source: (A)
