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K-pop’s Jungkook, Park Gyu-ri and Song Min-ho all face backlash for partying during coronavirus, but who was really in the wrong?

Jungkook, Park Gyu-ri, Song Min-ho: who was spotted partying during the second wave of coronavirus outbreak? Who was falsely accused by over-zealous netizens? Photos: Instagram

As South Korea endures its second wave of coronavirus outbreaks, those that have been spotted at potential hotspots are under intense scrutiny and criticism. While most of the general public may glide under the radar, celebrities are at the centre of the rumour mill. Here we separate fact from fiction.

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Fact

 

Kara’s leader Park Gyu-ri was spotted at the particular club under fire for the latest cluster of coronavirus cases. Although she later went for testing, promised to stay home under self-quarantine and assured the public that she was wearing a mask the entire time, many found it hard to believe she would not have taken it off, even momentarily. She has since apologised for her actions and has promised to stay home and be more careful. Her social media accounts are now private.

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Over the past week online communities have been rife with rumoured sighting of a group of famous male idols in the Itaewon district. This was particularly alarming to the public due to the outbreak of the virus from a club in the district. On the afternoon of May 18, the relevant entertainment companies stepped up with official statements on the issue.

 

It was admitted that BTS’ Jungkook, Seventeen’s Mingyu, NCT’s Jaehyun and Astro’s Cha Eun-woo were indeed all together on the night of April 24.

 

However, it has been stressed by the companies that the boys only went to restaurants and bars, and did not go to clubs at the centre of the issue.

 

They also highlighted that the outbreak of the coronavirus in the Itaewon district came a whole seven days after the boys’ visit.

 

All of the boys have tested negative and are reported to be “deeply reflecting over having not been careful with social distancing measures”.

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Fiction

 

Winner's Song Min-ho was accused of having been spotted at a nightclub in town the same weekend. While his company has released an apology for his oversight and promises to have him follow social distancing measures from here on out, it has since been confirmed that he was in fact, not at a public club, but had performed at a small guest house venue on a holiday trip with a friend.

 
Singer, musical star and former 2AM member Jo Kwon was also accused of going to a nightclub. The issue arose when one of the confirmed patients of the virus was revealed to have visited a total of five gay clubs on one night. A riled-up netizen then commented on Jo Kwon’s Instagram, asking if he had been to a club. He clapped back saying “excuse me, but I didn’t go. I could sue you. Should I capture this, and send it to the cyber police for slander? Do I look like a joke to you?” He then clarified he was home watching the hit drama The World of the Married that weekend.

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Korean music fans have condemned news that Kara’s leader Park Gyu-ri went to a nightclub linked to a Covid-19 cluster, while BTS’ Jungkook, Seventeen’s Mingyu, NCT’s Jaehyun and Astro’s Cha Eun-woo were all spotted on a night out in Itaewon – here STYLE separates fact from fiction