The upcoming SBS drama Love Scout, starring Han Ji Min and Lee Jun Hyuk, is already making headlines—but for all the wrong reasons.

Recent revelations about the show’s co-director, Ham Joon Ho, have sparked controversy. It was revealed that Ham Joon Ho had faced legal issues in 2020 for assault and defamation while intoxicated.

This incident led to disciplinary action within SBS and has raised questions about his involvement in the new project.

On January 13, the production team of Love Scout released an official apology, saying, "We deeply regret causing concern with unpleasant news related to PD Ham Joon Ho."

They confirmed the allegations, stating, "It is true that PD Ham Joon Ho was accused of assault and defamation while intoxicated in early 2020. However, he sincerely apologized to all victims, and the matter was resolved through forgiveness and mutual agreement."

They added, "He also received legal punishment for the incident. Additionally, reports about his prior criminal record from five years ago are unrelated to this case, as they involve a misdemeanor."

The team explained that Ham Joon Ho was suspended from his duties following the incident and spent three years reflecting on his actions before returning to directing. They added, "We kindly ask for viewers’ understanding."

The controversy began after online posts brought up the 2020 incident, sharing a news article from that time. The article described an SBS drama department employee, referred to as “A,” causing a disturbance in Hannam-dong, Seoul, while intoxicated. Police booked “A,” and due to their prior criminal record, an arrest warrant was requested but later denied.

It was later confirmed that “A” was PD Ham Joon Ho. After serving his suspension, he made his directorial comeback with the SBS drama Payback before taking on Love Scout.

Despite the production team's apology, the controversy has cast a shadow over the highly anticipated drama, leaving viewers wondering how it will impact the show’s reception.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds!

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Girl group BBGIRLS mentioned their former member Yujeong's departure.

BBGIRLS (Minyoung, Eunji, Yuna) recently held a roundtable interview at a café in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, to commemorate the release of their second single LOVE 2.

Last April, BBGIRLS parted ways with Warner Music Korea and established a new agency, BBGIRLS Company, before reorganizing into a three-member group.

This was when Yujeong announced her departure. Although the exact reasons for her departure were not disclosed, BBGIRLS' side expressed, "We decided to respect Yujeong's decision. We sincerely thank Yujeong for her dedicated efforts as a BBGIRLS member for a long time, and we will continue to support her without change."

Regarding this, Minyoung shared, "I wondered, 'Can I speak honestly, just as it is?' We were careful about how to communicate because we no longer have the previous member. We debuted late and started our activities, and being in our 30s, we also had many thoughts about life, especially after 'Rollin'. Ultimately, the opinion of the former member was the most important, so we decided to respect that after many discussions, which led to the final three of us remaining. Not everything goes the way we want. I’m sure the other members and that friend also feel the same. Of course, it’s disappointing, but we chose to respect her decision and finish things on a positive note, supporting her, and prepared for this album."

Minyoung also recalled the moment Yujeong expressed her intention to leave. "I wasn’t surprised," Minyoung said. "We had shared many things before, so we kind of felt it coming. As a leader, I was most upset because I wished she would’ve stayed with us a bit longer. It wasn’t so much a surprise as it was upsetting. I had the most conversations with the former member, and while it was regretful as a team, as a person, I had no choice but to understand. But I did express my disappointment and hurt feelings."

BBGIRLS' second single LOVE 2 will be released on the afternoon of the 15th through various online music platforms.

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