Trot singer Sook-haeng (47, real name Han Sook-haeng), who had announced her return to solo performances while denying allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a married man, has lost the first trial in a damages lawsuit filed against her by the man's wife.
The 7th Civil Division of the Suwon District Court's Seongnam Branch held a hearing to deliver its ruling on September 17 in the damages lawsuit filed by A, the wife of the married man at the center of the affair allegations, against Sook-haeng, and ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff.
Previously, A appeared on JTBC's "Crime Chief" on December 29 of last year, claiming that her husband had been having an affair with Sook-haeng, had left their home, and was living with her. A also released a video showing Sook-haeng and her husband making physical contact in an elevator, which sparked widespread controversy.
At the time, Sook-haeng expressed her frustration, explaining, "I started the relationship believing that the marriage had practically broken down and that only the legal formalities remained. I was told that the property division and compensation settlement had also been completed." She added, "I sincerely apologize for causing concern over a personal matter," announced her departure from MBN's "The Best K-Trot Singer 3," in which she had been appearing, and emphasized that she would set the record straight through legal action.
However, with this first-instance ruling, the court recognized Sook-haeng's liability for wrongful conduct that contributed to the breakdown of the marriage, meaning that her claims that she had been wronged were not accepted by the court.
Meanwhile, Sook-haeng, who had suspended her activities, has announced a solo concert titled "A Special Time with Fans, Back on Stage Through Song" for September 30 at Arte Seoul Muse Hall in Mok-dong, Seoul. She reportedly expressed her intention, saying, "I will greet you with songs rather than words. I am returning to the stage with the same mindset I had when I first started singing."
With the first-instance court having recognized her liability for the wrongful conduct, attention is now focused on how Sook-haeng will appear before her fans at the concert, marking her return to the stage after a nine-month hiatus.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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