Ji Chang-wook, the popular actor who starred in the hit drama Welcome to Samdal-ri, has issued an apology for smoking an electronic cigarette on the indoor set of the show. The actor’s agency, Spring Company, also released a statement expressing their regret and promising to prevent such incidents in the future.
Ji Chang-wook was caught smoking in a behind-the-scenes video
Welcome to Samdal-ri, a romantic comedy drama about a couple who fall in love while working at a traditional Korean inn, aired its final episode on January 14, 2024. The drama, which featured Ji Chang-wook and Shin Hye-sun as the leads, received positive reviews and high ratings from the viewers.
On January 26, the production team of the drama uploaded a behind-the-scenes video on their official YouTube channel, showing the actors and staff having fun and celebrating the end of the filming. However, some eagle-eyed fans noticed that Ji Chang-wook, who played the role of Cha Hyun-woo, the owner of the inn, was smoking an electronic cigarette in one of the scenes. The actor was seen holding the device in his hand and puffing on it while sitting on a couch.
Fans Reaction:
This sparked a controversy among the fans, as smoking or vaping in public places, including indoor sets, is illegal in South Korea. According to the law, smokers must use designated smoking areas or face fines. Many fans expressed their disappointment and criticism of the actor’s behavior, saying that he was setting a bad example and violating the rules.
“What kind of a place is the entertainment industry that indoor smoking seems to be so normal there? I have never seen people like this around me.”
“I agree. At this point, I can’t help but wonder what the entertainment industry is all about…”
“Wow, is this for real? I really liked Ji Chang Wook…”
“I had someone blow smoke in my face on the street, so just the talk of cigarettes piss me off right now. Besides, isn’t it impolite to do that during a rehearsal? Why isn’t anyone saying anything?”
“From the moment he posted a selfie of him smoking on Instagram, I knew it.”
“Agreed. That was a huge turn-off.”
“With so many people sitting so close to him?!”
“It looks like this kind of behavior is normal. How many of them have been caught so far exactly?”
“Since it’s the male lead smoking indoors, there’s no one to say anything LOL. I always thought Ji Chang Wook had a too-good-to-be-true reputation, so this isn’t even surprising to me.”
“It seems like, in their world, smoking e-cigs indoors is so common that it’s become normalized. Even though the other actors were right in front of him! I guess he smoked inside because if he were caught smoking outside, that would bring down his image even more.”
“Isn’t that his place of work? He’s behaving like that while working?”
“Hahaha.”
“It’s as if an office worker were to smoke during a meeting, LOL. It’s a bigger deal than “Oh, he’s smoking indoors,” IMO.”
The actor and his agency apologized and deleted the scene
After receiving the backlash, the actor’s agency, Spring Company, quickly responded by deleting the scene from the video and issuing an official apology.
On February 11, Ji Chang Wook’s agency Spring Company released the following statement:
Hello, this is Spring Company.
We would like to apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable about Ji Chang Wook’s actions in the behind-the-scenes content from his drama that was released on January 26.
The behind-the-scenes content in question included a scene of actor Ji Chang Wook smoking an electronic cigarette indoors. The scene brought discomfort to those who saw it as improper.
Actor Ji Chang Wook also recognizes that his behavior was improper, and he feels sorry for disappointing many people. Once again, we deeply apologize to those who watched the content, along with the staff on set, the rest of the cast, and the viewers who gave their love to the drama.
With this incident in mind, we will take special care to prevent this kind of improper behavior from reoccurring in the future. Once again, we sincerely apologize for giving many people cause for concern through this incident.
Thank you for reading this long statement.
Thank you.
Ji Chang-wook will star in a new drama soon
Despite the controversy, Ji Chang-wook still has a loyal fan base who support him and his work. The actor, who is known for his roles in dramas such as Healer, Suspicious Partner, and Backstreet Rookie, will soon appear in a new drama called The Queen Woo. The drama, which will be streamed on TVING, is a historical fantasy about a woman who becomes the queen of a parallel world. The drama will also feature Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Mu-yeol, Jeong Yu-mi, and Lee So-hyuk.
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