In a deeply personal episode of his podcast Hey Tablo, Epik High’s Tablo opened up about one of the most painful moments in his life: the loss of his father in 2012, which occurred amid the notorious “Tajinyo” scandal.
Recalling the 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 passed away,” he said. “We weren’t prepared, and I felt like the public killed my father. It felt like murder. I wasn’t just sad I was furious.”
The “Tajinyo” (an abbreviation for “We Demand the Truth from Tablo”) group had baselessly accused him of faking his Stanford University degree, launching a years-long cyberbullying campaign that targeted not just Tablo, but his family. “People kept saying I didn’t graduate, that my career, my family, even my existence was fake,” Tablo recalled. “Calling it a scandal feels wrong. People were simply cruel.”
He also discussed the emotional weight of navigating a traditional Korean three-day funeral, calling it “too harsh on grieving families.” He explained how greeting guests 24/7, with little sleep, took a toll on him until one moment of unexpected relief. “Comedian friends came and told a careful 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 thoughtfully, 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 standing by him throughout the funeral and being a source of strength. “They were with me the whole time, and when Tukutz’s mother passed, Mithra and I did the same for him. In Korea, the hardest part is returning home after the funeral when absence fills the room more than presence ever did.”
Tablo concluded, “When you can laugh while remembering someone you lost, that feels like truly honoring them. I hope this story becomes a little ‘clip’ you can hold onto one day.”
Sources: Nate
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