Ko Young-wook (50), a former member of the group Roo'ra who served prison time for sexual violence against multiple minors, has faced criticism after posting comments suggesting he might need to work as an adult film actor in Japan, leading to coverage by local media.

Japan's Nikkan Sports reported on the posts Ko made on his social media on July 13 and 14. The outlet detailed his past criminal record and his remarks under a headline that read, "Korean singer desperately appeals to become a male adult film actor in Japan... served prison time for sexual assault, says it is legally possible if there are no jobs."

Ko's posts sparked intense backlash in both Korea and Japan. Critics pointed out that it was highly inappropriate for an individual with a history of sex crimes against minors to discuss working in the adult industry. In response, Ko shared an article suggesting that his remarks were not a genuine intention to debut as an adult film actor, but rather a self-deprecating joke about his feelings of helplessness regarding his reality, and wrote, "Please stop now..."

He also expressed confusion at the criticism pouring in from Japan, stating, "I thought I was used to being criticized, but this is the first time I hadult filme received this kind of hate." He claimed, "I hadult filme always liked Japanese culture, including music, movies, and dramas, and I enjoyed reading books by Japanese authors such as Dazai Osamu. As someone who had a positive view of the Japanese people, this is quite a shock."

He further shared a passage from Maria Tumarkin's book "Traumascapes," which reads, "No person should be punished beyond the sentence handed down by the court. However, the community punishes people." This was interpreted as him expressing frustration over the social criticism and restrictions on his activities.

Ko was prosecuted for sexual assault and forced molestation of three minors between 2010 and 2012. In 2013, the Supreme Court confirmed a sentence of 2 years and 6 months in prison, along with orders for 5 years of personal information disclosure and 3 years of wearing an electronic anklet. Since his release in 2015, Ko has attempted to communicate with the public and resume activities through social media and YouTube. 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)