In a deeply personal episode of his podcast Hey, tableEpik High’s Tablo talked about one of the most painful moments in his life: the loss of his father in 2012, which occurred in the infamous “Tajinyo” scandal.
Recalling that time, Tablo revealed that his father had previously recovered from cancer and was doing well until the intense stress of the scandal resurfaced. “The day after he got sick again, he died” he said. “We weren’t prepared and I felt like the public had killed my father. It felt like murder. I wasn’t just sad, I was furious.”
The group “Tajinyo” (an abbreviation of “We Demand the Truth from Tablo”) had baselessly accused him of falsifying his Stanford University degree, launching a years-long cyberbullying campaign that targeted not only Tablo, but his family. “People kept saying I didn’t graduate, that my career, my family, even my existence were fake,” Tablo reminded. “Calling it a scandal seems wrong. People were just cruel.”
He also discussed the emotional weight of going through a traditional three-day Korean funeral, calling it that “too hard on grieving families.” He explained how welcoming guests 24/7, with little sleep, took a toll on him until he had an unexpected moment of relief. “Comedian friends came and told a thoughtful joke. On the second day, I laughed for the first time. I felt something inside me release.”
Emphasizing that humor can be healing if used carefully, Tablo said: “I’m not saying you should joke when someone is grieving. But in my experience, a small moment of humor can be powerful.”
He also credited his Epik High bandmates, Tukutz and Mithra Jin, for being by his side during the funeral and being a source of strength. “They were with me the whole time, and when Tukutz’s mother died, Mithra and I did the same for him. In Korea, the hardest part is going home after the funeral, when the absence fills the room more than the presence ever did.”
Tablo concluded: “When you can laugh while remembering someone you’ve lost, it’s like truly honoring them. I hope this story becomes a little ‘clip’ that you can hold on to someday.”
Sources: Nate
