Being a celebrity often means that your life is an open book to the public. Some may have straight paths with their careers, while others can't sometimes avoid running into big scandals.
Because they were involved in major scandals, some celebrities' careers took a massive blow due to the backfire they received.
Check out our list of some Korean actors who practically took a break from their careers after being involved in a controversy.
1. Oh Hyun Kyung
In 1998, Oh Hyun Kyung's career surprisingly halted when a video of her having an intercourse with her beau leaked online. It was clear that the footage was taken without her consent, and her then-boyfriend filmed it with malicious intent.
Unfortunately, the public gave out their harsh comments and criticized the actress for the sex video. Sad to say, Oh Hyun Kyung was practically forced to leave her acting career, and for the issue to die down, she decided to move out of Korea for two years.
After ten years since the said scandal broke out, Oh Hyun Kyung made her acting comeback in 2007 and regained her fame in the industry.
2. Han Ye Seul
Han Ye Seul was part of the cast of the Korean drama "Spy Myung-Wol." Then, the actress's name sparked when she didn't show up for the filming and suddenly flew to the USA. It was later revealed that the reason she did this was because of the unbearable working conditions that the show's producers had made her work.
The actress eventually came back to South Korea to finish the filming of the said show but did not avoid the harsh criticisms thrown at her. When she was done with the project, she took a three-year break from the acting industry.
3. Kim Hyun Joong
In 2014, the scandal of Kim Hyun Joong exploded when he was accused and charged for injuring and hitting his former girlfriend. Eventually, most concerns with his former girlfriend were settled, but still, his image was already destroyed.
He strived and made his comeback in 2018 in the Korean drama "When Time Stops," but some netizens were unhappy about it. Even if the scandal didn't force him to take a break, it changed his image to the public, resulting in his career being affected.
4. Han Ji Sun
Han Ji Sun was involved in a scandal in 2019 when the news popped that she physically assaulted a taxi driver. Her image to the public was greatly stained because of this scandal, even if she tried to issue an apology to the taxi driver.
Sadly, the actress eventually resigned from her role in the "The Secret Life of My Secretary." Since the said incident, Han Ji Sun still hasn't appeared in any television projects.
5. Lee Kyung Young
In 2002, Lee Kyung Young was charged and found guilty of the crime underage prostitution. His offense was unimaginable since he exploited and manipulated underage aspiring celebrities into sex in exchange for acting projects.
Lee Kyung Young was sentenced for ten months of imprisonment, and he was also prohibited from all Korean broadcasting channels. MBC lifted its ban in 2014.
