K-Pop star Kim Jae-joong jokes he has coronavirus, may face up to 5 years jail for April Fool's Day prank
Singer and actor Kim Jae-joong of the group JYJ could face up to five years in prison for his coronavirus prank on April Fool's Day.
On Wednesday, April 1, Kim shared that he had tested positive for COVID-19 to his 1.9 million Instagram followers, instantly causing panic throughout multiple Korean fandoms. This would have made him the first K-Pop idol to test positive for the disease, despite many idols having previously reported being in quarantine after being exposed to the coronavirus.
His initial statement claimed it was a result of his own negligence, and pleaded with readers to heed to precautionary measures in place, including social distancing. He also stated, "My foolish judgment to live as though it couldn’t happen to me is why I am like this today. I am currently hospitalized. I am reflecting on my past a lot and feeling both grateful and sorry. There are many things I want to say. There are many people I want to see so much."
Kim's agency CJeS Entertainment denied any knowledge of his diagnosis and stated they were trying to confirm the news with the singer who is currently in Japan. Not long after, Kim updated his post to reveal it was an April Fool's Day prank, drawing the ire of K-Pop fans and government officials alike.
He began, "I am also personally aware that it was something that shouldn’t be done. First, over the social media post I wrote, I want to express my sincere apologies to the people who have suffered because of COVID-19 and to the people who were disrupted in their administrative work. Bad judgment. I knew that’s what this was."
His apology also included details of his own run-ins with how hard medical staff were working to curtail the virus while his father was having lung cancer surgery, adding "When I saw the medical staff and patients at the hospital, I felt a bit angry and I wished that people thought of the virus as not someone else’s problem, but their own problem. Contrary to the people who actually are working hard to get us out of COVID-19, there are many people who enjoy their leisure time while dressing just as usual and not wearing a mask. When I heard that, I thought there needed to be more awareness."
"In many different kinds of media and on the internet, there are both big and small requests for people to take caution, but there are people who do not listen to that, and I wanted to convey the dangerousness of the current situation to them one way or another. “Please, listen. Please. Don’t get sick.”, he said.
Kim also stated he was prepared to receive the punishment for his post, adding "My post today… it went very far, but I thought that if people paid a large amount of interest to it, then they might listen. This method has hurt a lot of people and I am receiving criticism for it. For causing distress, I sincerely apologize to the government agencies and medical professionals who are working hard because of COVID-19 and to the many people who are following instructions to give up on their lifestyles and are doing all they can to overcome this."
After the intense backlash for his post, which includes a petition to the presidential Blue House titled 'Please punish celebrity Kim for his April Fool’s Day prank', the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) which is in charge of preventative measures against COVID-19 has revealed that they are looking into the matter since in South Korea, it is considered a punishable offense to make a false report, especially via a prank, that incites disorder or disrupts the work of authorities engaged in preventative measures. Additionally, the department is taking into consideration the fact that Kim's celebrity status and influence make this a larger crime than something like a prank call.
If the KCDC decides Kim must face punishment for his post, the singer faces a maximum of five years in prison or, alternatively, might be liable to pay a fine of a maximum of 10 million won (approximately $8,090) for causing an 'obstruction of performance of official duties by fraudulent means.'