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Read Full BioThe K-pop star Shin Jung-hwan says he wants to make another comeback in the entertainment industry following a major gambling scandal in 2010.
At the peak of his popularity, Shin was arrested in the Philippines, accused of amassing huge gambling-related debts.
During an appearance on the YouTube talk show Channel Gojunghe (“Fix It”), Shin spoke about his previous experiences on TV variety shows.
He heaped praise on the producers of these shows and their subsequent work. He then looked at the camera and said: “What kind of program do you want to appear on? Please call me! Please write to me. I’m at my lowest point right now. Why aren’t you answering my phone calls?”
The mood of the conversation was light and semi-joking in tone. However, media outlets like TV Report agreed that Shin “couldn’t hide his desire to return to the broadcasting industry” during his appearance on Channel Gojunghe.
Shin Jung-hwan Comeback – Could Star Return to South Korean Screens?
Shin debuted as part of the four-member K-pop group Roo’ra in 1994. The group shot to fame with chart-topping songs like “3!4!” Roo’ra disbanded in 2001, reuniting briefly in 2009.
However, Shin’s popularity outlasted the group, and he became a mainstay on some of South Korea’s most-watched variety shows.
His career took a nose dive after his arrest in the Philippines.
Shin later claimed that he had only traveled to the Philippines “for tourism purposes.” He denied gambling and claimed he was unable to return to South Korea as he had contracted dengue fever.
This all soon proved to be untrue. Shin later confessed that he had claimed to have caught the disease as it “had been in the news a lot.”
Shin also admitted that his gambling habit had become so all-consuming that he sometimes “stayed at casinos for three days straight, without sleeping.”
On January 20, 2011, Shin finally returned to his homeland, where he was tried for habitual gambling, as well as violation of the Foreign Exchange Trade Act and the Passport Act. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, but was released on parole after six months.
Gambling Jibes Marred 2016-2017 Comeback Attempt
Shin attempted a comeback in 2016-2017, when he hosted the Mnet reality TV show Project S: Devil’s Talent Donation and appeared on the JTBC talk show Knowing Bros.
The Knowing Bros producers and hosts made several joking references to the gambling scandal throughout his appearance.
However, his return was short-lived, with many online commenters complaining that Shin’s crimes were not suitable material for comedy.
TV Report noted that Shin’s 2016-2017 attempted return was ultimately “thwarted by strong public backlash.”
Earlier this month, the South Korean broadcaster and former volleyball star Kim Yo Han was absolved of illegal gambling charges. A court jailed his would-be blackmailer for a year.
