Something about singer-actor Bi Rain seems to attract a scandal. Only this week, the "Full House" star was cleared of charges stemming from an embezzlement scandal and before the singer's fans could breathe a sigh of relief, he was involved in yet another scandal.
He was cleared of a 2010 scandal that led to the indictment of two executives at his record label J. Tune Entertainment. An investor claimed that he and his partners misused funds and that his actions lowered the company's stock value. The singer was accused of leasing expensive cars paid for by the company and of raising his modeling fee to $2.25 million over three years. But the court ruled that although such behavior might be considered questionable, any damage done to the company's stock rating was minimal. He was declared innocent of all charges.
Rain, who appeared in the 2008 Hollywood film "Speed Racer," also provoked a scandal when it was learned that he was seeing actress Kim Tae Hee once a week while he was supposed to be on military duty. Enlistees are allowed to take only 28 vacation days in a year and he took over 50. While celebrity recruits do get time off base for promotional duties, he took advantage of that time to see the actress and was seen without a uniform.
A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman said the incident was blown out of proportion.
"We advise soldiers to wear proper military outfit including a beret during a holiday but a failure to do so is not a punishable crime," said the spokesman.
However, it was determined that he breached regulations by having private meetings while on duty and that he should be punished.
His punishment for repeatedly breaching regulations created more scandal because it was so light.
"Under a decision by the disciplinary commission of his unit, Rain will be confined to his barracks to spend seven days of repentance," said a military spokesman after the incident.
Seven days? Too lenient a punishment, said netizens tired of the special treatment given to celebrity recruits.
Maybe a sterner punishment would have kept Rain out of trouble this week. He was seen drinking with fellow singers Se7en, Mighty Mouth's Sangchu and singer KCM, when they were on duty.
The celebrity recruits performed at a broadcast and reporters followed them to their motel. After that the singers went out to eat chicken and drink. Then they left the hotel again at 11:30, coming back to the motel at 2 a.m. in civilian clothes. Se7en and Sangchu were spotted at an adult massage parlor.
Rain's enlistment ends in July. Hopefully, by then he will develop some scandal radar and improve his chances of staying out of trouble.
