MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

K-pop star Lucas of NCT accidentally exposes cigarette pack on Instagram, supportive fans say it’s no big deal

This is not the first time Lucas was seen with cigarettes. Earlier this year, fans caught a glimpse of a pack of smokes in his front pocket during a video fan-meet

Wong Yuk-hei, better known as Lucas, is a Hong Kong rapper, singer, and model. He is also a member of the K-pop boyband NCT (which reportedly stands for Neo Culture Technology), a group formed by SM Entertainment. 

Reportedly, on Thursday, October 1, Lucas, along with other NCT members Hendery and Winwin, went live on Instagram. While doing a sing-along, Lucas accidentally flashed a pack of cigarettes to the camera. As per reports, after this mishap, Lucas stopped dancing, slid out of the frame, then continued filming Hendery and Winwin.

This is not the first time Lucas was seen with cigarettes. Earlier this year, fans caught a glimpse of a pack of smokes in his front pocket during a video fan-meet. Unsurprisingly, this Instagram Live led to Lucas trending. But fans were neither surprised nor judgmental. In fact, while most shared memes and jokes about Lucas reacting to the trend, some fans were weirdly supportive. A fan wrote on Twitter, “Lucas and Vivi smoking cigarettes then so am I, what’s gonna happen, I’m gonna die sooner? Good.”

Another fan said, “So what if Lucas smokes? He's probably had sex too. You gonna confiscate his cigarettes and chop his d*** off?” Another fan shared a reaction video, writing, “Me eating Lucas' cigarette ashes.”

Some fans, however, went in a different direction altogether. One fan wrote on Twitter, “Why does Lucas have to be a cigarette smoker? Somebody give this man some weed.” One fan came to the K-pop star’s defense with, “No but this s*** would only happen to Lucas. Like he didn't get caught in the act or anything. He is just a Himbo doing Himbo things - forgetting a cig pack in his front pocket during a fan call or forgetting he has a pack in his hand during a live n swinging it back n forth.” One fan noted, “Y’all no ones actually mad at Lucas. I read the tweets and a good majority of the replies are calling him sexy or saying it’s getting them horny.” 

It is worth noting that in Hong Kong, from where Lucas is, smoking is prohibited in indoor public places and workplaces. The only exceptions to the smoking ban are hotel rooms, designated areas in airports and correctional/detention facilities, and tasting rooms in cigar shops. In South Korea, smoking is completely banned in bars, restaurants, and cafes regardless of size, including any smoking rooms. Any smoker caught in the act in South Korea, reportedly has to pay fines of 100,000 won. 

According to a poll conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in August 2017, almost nine in ten citizens agreed with the policy to completely ban smoking in public. Only seven percent said no.

In September of that year, the World Health Organisation recommended South Korea adopt more stringent regulations to ban cigarette smoking in public places and restrict tobacco advertising and promotions. "Subnational jurisdictions have the authority to adopt laws that ban tobacco smoking in any or all of the places mentioned above. However, no sub-national laws have been reported," the WHO report said.