Singer Eru, who had suspended his activities after facing legal punishment for drunk driving and a "driver swapping" controversy, has shared his feelings on returning to the broadcast stage after four years.

On July 7, Eru posted a short message along with a video of his performance on his social media. He expressed his thoughts, saying, "As it was my first time on stage in a long time, I felt careful and very nervous," and added, "It was meaningful and I was grateful to be able to show my mother my appearance on screen once again." He concluded his message by saying, "I was happy and enjoyed myself amidst the support and encouragement of many people."

In the released video, Eru is seen bowing 90 degrees on stage to greet the public cautiously, and the footage also captures him preparing for the performance with a serious expression in the waiting room.

Previously, Eru appeared on the TV Chosun entertainment program "Chosun's Romantic" on July 6 for its 5th-anniversary special, "Chosun's Romantic Singing Contest," where he performed on stage with his father, Tae Jin-ah. During the performance, he sang his hit song "Black Glasses" and his father's signature song "Okgyeong-i." Notably, "Black Glasses" drew attention as it is known to be the favorite song of his mother, who is currently battling dementia.

This marks Eru's first time standing before the public and holding a microphone in about four years since he entered a period of self-reflection following his drunk driving controversy in 2022. He was indicted on charges including attempting to "swap drivers" with a passenger after being caught driving under the influence in September 2022. He also faced charges for a separate incident in December of the same year, in which he crashed into a guardrail while driving under the influence.

At the time, Eru's legal counsel appealed for leniency in court, stating, "His mother is suffering from severe dementia and relies heavily on the defendant, her son. Please consider the fact that he is devoted to caring for his mother." The court sentenced Eru to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and a fine of 100,000 won.

Having spent a long period of self-reflection, Eru first revealed his daily life of devotedly caring for his mother on the July 2 episode of "Chosun's Romantic," and has now signaled his full-scale return to the entertainment industry starting with this special performance.

[Photo: Captured from Eru's Instagram]

(Reported by Kang Sun-ae, SBS Entertainment News)