On December 31, a representative from Park Sung-hoon’s agency told Star News: “Yesterday we explained that the actor accidentally uploaded the porn poster while checking his direct messages,’ but we would like to elaborate further,” providing a second clarification.
According to the official, Park Sung-hoon received the poster of a Japanese AV (adult video) themed “Squid Game” via his DM (direct message) on Instagram. Deeming it potentially problematic, he attempted to forward it to the company manager, downloading the image in the process. However, instead of deleting it after forwarding, he accidentally uploaded it.
This explanation raises questions about why a 39-year-old adult (born 1985) felt the need to share explicit material received via DM with his agency.
In this regard, the agency explains, “Since it involved his work and seemed to be spreading inappropriately, he probably thought it needed to be addressed as a potential problem.”
Previously, on December 30, Park Sung-hoon uploaded an explicit poster featuring Japanese AV actors dressed in costumes parodying Netflix’s “Squid Game” while depicting sexual acts. The poster explicitly showed the actors’ bodies, including private parts, and posed in graphic positions. Besides that, the AV in question also involves brutal content like r*pe.
Park Sung-hoon recently starred in “Squid Game 2,” released on December 26, playing the role of Hyun-joo, a transgender game participant seeking funds for gender reassignment surgery.
The controversial post was deleted about a minute after it was uploaded. However, since Park Sung-hoon has nearly 2 million followers, the explicit image quickly spread among fans despite the quick deletion.
The actor’s agency responded promptly within 30 minutes of the incident, attributing it to an “accident” while Park Sung-hoon checked his DM. Then, when asked why reviewing direct messages and uploading Instagram stories, which require separate actions, led to the post, the agency responded: “You can upload content directly from the DM window.”
The incident has cast a shadow over Park Sung-hoon’s upcoming projects, including the tvN drama “The Tyrant’s Chef,” which is scheduled for release in the second half of next year. The series co-stars Girls’ Generation’s Yoona and filming has yet to begin. Many fans of the drama are now calling for Park Sung-hoon’s removal from the cast.
Meanwhile, owning or viewing adult content such as Japanese AV is not punishable under Korean law. However, the publication or distribution of such material online is subject to sanctions under the Law on the Promotion of Information and Use of the Communications Network and on the Protection of Information, as well as Criminal Law.
Specifically, the distribution of obscene material is prohibited under Article 44-7, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1 of the Law on Information and Communications Networks. Violators face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million KRW (about $6,777), as provided for in Article 74 of the same law.
Additionally, if adult content is protected by copyright, acts of illegal reproduction or distribution may also result in penalties for copyright infringement. In particular, the possession or viewing of illegal recordings or child pornography constitutes a criminal offense that requires particular caution.
