After more than a decade of enduring one of the most relentless witch hunts in K-pop history, Tablo of Epik High has finally returned to Stanford University—this time, not to prove anything, but to heal.
In a new video posted on August 7 to Epik High’s YouTube channel EPIKASE, titled “Why Haven’t We Gotten Our Gold Button Yet?”, the trio commemorated surpassing one million subscribers.
But before heading back to their accommodations, they made an unplanned—but deeply symbolic—stop at Stanford University, Tablo’s alma mater and the center of a scandal that once threatened to ruin his career.
“Do we really have to go there?” Tablo protested initially, visibly uneasy. “I really went there. How many times do I have to prove it?”
His members Mithrajin and Tukutz gently insisted, telling him it would feel incomplete not to go. Their real purpose? To create a 2025 version of the infamous footage from a 2009 documentary that attempted to verify Tablo’s credentials during the peak of the academic forgery controversy that falsely accused him of lying about his Stanford degrees.
Once on campus, the tone shifted. Tablo began guiding his members like a seasoned alum, eventually reaching the tree once sarcastically dubbed the “Crying Tree”—a site forever tied to his emotional breakdown during past coverage.
There, the trio recreated the original photo with meticulous detail, even dressing Tablo in a replica of the outfit he wore 15 years ago.
“You guys are insane. I’ve never seen you prepare something this hard,” Tablo muttered with a laugh.
Taking a smiling photo under the same tree, Tablo let go of long-held pain. The members shared a group hug as Tablo’s eyes welled up with tears—this time, not from injustice, but from relief.
Back at their accommodation, Epik High celebrated ranking #1 on YouTube’s trending list, but Tablo reminded fans of what truly matters: “First place, last place—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we give it our all.”
This moment isn’t just a victory for Epik High. It’s a moment of long-overdue closure for Tablo —and a powerful message about truth, resilience, and healing.
Sources: 스포츠서울]