Super Junior’s Leeteuk half-jokingly and half-seriously defended Kangin “Please forgive him, he has spent 15 years in self-reflection”
Super Junior's Ryeowook recently tied the knot with Tahiti's Ari, and Leeteuk's remarks have stirred controversy
Ryeowook and Ari, who have been publicly dating since September 2020, held their wedding in a private ceremony in Seoul on May 26th. Notably, former Super Junior members Kangin, Kibum and Han Geng attended the event, reuniting the complete 13-member group along with Leeteuk, Heechul, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Shindong, Siwon, Yesung, Kyuhyun and Sungmin.
It was a rainy Sunday, but Ryeowook and Ari enjoyed a happy party. Leeteuk, who was in charge of hosting, attempted to lighten the mood by introducing Kangin with a surprising remark, “You are now looking at Kangin, who has spent more time in self-reflection than in active promotion.”
Leeteuk further commented, half-jokingly and half-seriously, “Please forgive Kangin. He has spent 15 years in self-reflection compared to 5 years in active promotion. Today is a happy and good day, so please embrace him, give him love and help him make a living.“
Kangin, who debuted as a member of Super Junior in 2005, received much love from fans during his group activities. However, he became embroiled in controversies involving drunk driving and assault. In 2019, his name was mentioned in the so-called “Jung Joon-young chatroom scandal”, leading him to voluntarily leave Super Junior for the sake of the members and fans.
At that time, Kangin expressed, “I have always felt apologetic towards the members. I thought it was right to make a decision as soon as possible, but I couldn’t easily gather the courage because of the unwavering support from fans and company staff. However, seeing the members endure hardships because of me made me realize I couldn’t delay any longer.”
Since then, Kangin has stayed away from broadcasting activities and occasionally updated fans via his YouTube channel. In June last year, Kangin spoke about his potential return, “I don’t think it’s something I can decide. Even saying ‘if there’s an opportunity’ is difficult. I haven’t forgiven myself yet. I was immature and repeated the same mistakes. I knew it was wrong then, and I also know it now.”
Regarding his income during his long hiatus, Kangin explained, “Since 2016, I haven’t had any income. If I say it hasn’t affected my lifestyle, people might wonder how much I earned, but I haven’t had any significant expenses. I’m not someone who lives extravagantly or wastefully.”
Leeteuk’s plea for Kangin to be forgiven was made in this context. Although his comments were meant to amuse the guests at a private event, many have criticized them as inappropriate, especially given recent controversies surrounding other celebrities. However, others believe it was not a major issue, as the guests responded with applause and encouragement when Kangin bowed deeply in gratitude.
