Singer MC Mong, who has been at the center of controversies including allegations of overseas gambling and falsely targeting Kim Min-jong over gambling rumors, has drawn attention once again by directly handing out university tuition fees to a student on a festival stage.

MC Mong took the stage as the headliner for the final performance at the Kyonggi University festival in Suwon on the 11th. Performing over 10 songs—including his pre-released 10th full-length album track "Youth," as well as hit songs like "Circus," "Ice Cream," and "Love Mash"—he led the students in mass sing-alongs.

Toward the end of the concert, a previously announced event actually took place. MC Mong, who had earlier announced through a TikTok live broadcast that he would hand out scholarship funds in cash to a university student at the festival, told students who wanted to receive the scholarship to raise their hands, encouraging participation by saying, "You mustn't lie here," and "Guys, let's not pretend to be struggling if you're not." He also shared a personal story, saying, "I got accepted into university back in 1998, but because I thought my mom didn't have the money, I lied that I hadn't been accepted."

On this day, upon hearing a student answer, "I work three part-time jobs," MC Mong handed over the prepared cash. Handing over the money, he said, "I don't care, whether you spend it on drinks or clothes. But the money I'm giving you is money I got from your school anyway," adding, "I just want to give it to someone who caught my eye. Make sure you use it for your studies."

However, as footage from the scene was released, reactions were mixed. While praise followed for the heartwarming act of supporting tuition fees itself, opinions also emerged that the delivery method—handing out scholarship money like a cash event in the middle of a performance—was too lighthearted and undermined the original purpose.

Meanwhile, MC Mong had been at the center of controversies until recently. In a personal live broadcast last May, he mentioned actor and singer Kim Min-jong by name, claiming that Kim was a member of a Badugi gambling ring and received tips at a gambling house with tens of millions of won in stakes. After Kim Min-jong filed a complaint, MC Mong apologized four months later, saying they had cleared up the misunderstanding.

Prior to this, MBC's PD Note raised suspicions after securing testimony that Cha Ga-won, chairwoman of One Hundred, had wired money to cover MC Mong's overseas gambling expenses. MC Mong has denied these allegations as groundless and continues to host TikTok live broadcasts.



(Photo: SBS Entertainment News, reported by Kang Kyung-yoon)