Rapper apologizes for political remark during Choongam High School festival

Rapper Jeong Sang-su apologized for making a political remark in support of former President Yoon Suk Yeol during a festival at Choongam High School, the former president’s alma mater.

Rapper Jeong Sang-su uploads a video of apology on his Instagram account on Nov. 1 after publicly calling for the reinstatement of former President Yoon Suk Yeol during a high school festival on Oct. 31. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Rapper Jeong Sang-su apologized for making a political remark in support of former President Yoon Suk Yeol during a festival at Choongam High School, the former president’s alma mater.

“During a performance at the Choongam High School festival on Oct. 31, I made a political remark that should not have been made in such a place,” Jeong said in a video uploaded on his Instagram on Saturday. “I sincerely apologize to the principal, faculty, staff and especially the students who were affected by my actions.”

He continued, “I do not usually take political stances, either left or right, and to be honest, I am not that knowledgeable about politics,” and explained, “The name came up during an interview with a student on stage. I was trying to create a fun, recreational moment but got carried away and ended up saying something I should not have.”

He added, “It was completely my fault. I am prepared to take full responsibility and accept all criticism.”

In a written apology posted alongside the video, Jeong said, “I made an inappropriate political comment in a public setting. It was something I never should have said in front of students who were simply trying to enjoy their festival, and I offer my deepest apologies for the disappointment I caused.”

He also emphasized that his comment was not coordinated in any way with the school and "was entirely personal," and asked that criticism not be directed at the school, saying, “I now realize no excuse can cover for what I did. Please direct all blame toward me, not the school.”

Rapper Jeong Sang-su publicly calls for the reinstatement of former President Yoon Suk Yeol during a high school festival on Oct. 31. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

During the Choongam High School festival on Friday, Jeong called a student on stage and asked, “What is Choongam’s pride?” When the student responded, “Yoon Suk Yeol,” Jung said, “I was holding back from saying it too, but now I will,” before shouting “Yoon Again” twice. The phrase “Yoon Again” is commonly used by supporters of the former president who oppose his impeachment or prosecution and wish for his return to power.

After the video of the incident spread online and sparked criticism, the Choongam High School student council issued a statement clarifying, “The comment had nothing to do with the school or the Choongam Festival. Neither the school nor the student council requested or approved the remark in advance. It was a personal comment by Jeong Sang-su,” and asked the public to refrain from criticizing the school or its students.

Jeong, born in 1984, began his career in music with the 2009 single "Truman Show," and became famous through his appearance on multiple seasons of Mnet's hip-hop audition franchise "Show Me the Money" (2012-2022).

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY SHIN HYE-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]