Shoo, a member of the group S.E.S, and her husband Lim Hyo-sung have bowed their heads in apology through their YouTube channel for past controversies involving habitual gambling and smuggling foreign currency.
On their recently launched YouTube channel, Shoo confessed for the first time about her gambling, stating, "I've never explained myself about the gambling because it's true that I gambled." She continued, "This time, I wanted to be as honest as possible."
Previously, Shoo was revealed to have engaged in large-scale habitual gambling both domestically and abroad, and was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, for overseas gambling charges. However, she was found not guilty of domestic gambling and fraud charges.
In 2022, Shoo attempted a comeback but was embroiled in controversy and faced public criticism for wearing somewhat provocative clothing on an internet broadcast.
Shoo recalled, "I wanted to connect with fans, but I chose my outfit poorly for the first broadcast. I had already received the down payment and urgently needed money, so I had no choice but to proceed with the broadcast." She lamented, "The negative press kept piling on. It felt like there was nowhere lower to fall."
Regarding gambling, Shoo said, "I followed a friend to a casino in Las Vegas. It was like hell. I didn't know there were people lending money on one side. I didn't understand why using my own bank account to exchange money was a problem."
Lim Hyo-sung recalled, "During our separation, Shoo fell into gambling. When she told me she was in debt of 250 million won, I helped her. But she gradually changed." He remembered a particularly dark day, "There was a day she overdosed on pills and collapsed. I thought she was dead and rushed to her side."
Shoo, who once received immense love appearing on 'The Return of Superman' with her three children, tearfully admitted, "I ruined everything. My children are the ones who suffer the most."
She added, "I know I might get criticized for telling this story. But I thought maybe my sincerity could reach someone out there," explaining her reason for coming forward.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)