Actor Cha Tae Hyun has finally spoken up about his past gambling controversy after lying low for over a year. The former 2 Days and 1 Night cast member addressed the scandal during the presscon of his latest project for OCN.
During the press conference for OCN's Team Bulldog: Off-Duty Investigation, Cha Tae Hyun apologized to fans for disappointing them over chat messages that leaked between himself and Kim Jun Ho gambling over golf games.
The chat logs from the 2D1N chat group were discovered in Jung Joon Young's phone which causes massive criticism and indefinitely suspended the resumption of the show's fourth season. In the end, the production opted to introduce a new set of cast members to move forward.
"The first thing I want to do is apologize. I will address once again the fact that I disappointed many people, including fans because I engaged in improper behavior. Through this incident, I will work even harder to be an actor who acts in an upright manner. I am sorry," he said sincerely.
He said that during his hiatus, he spent a lot of time reflecting on his shortcomings and regretting his actions. He said he was thankful that he was given another chance to appear in another project.
OCN's detective drama is the first time that Cha Tae Hyun will appear as a law enforcement officer. For Team Bulldog: Off Duty Investigation, the actor plays a screwball detective who teams up with an investigative crime show producer (Lee Sun Bin) to crack unsolvable cases and nab the criminals off the clock. Their team includes a former criminal profiler played by Ji Seung Hyun, a former gangster played by Yoon Kyung Ho, and a former pathologist at the National Forensic Service played by Jung Sang Hoon.
While OCN is known for specializing in intense crime thrillers, the new drama will be a lot different from the network's previous offerings. Director Kang Hyo Jin expressed admiration for the cast who stepped up to deliver something new to the audience.
Cha Tae Hyun admitted that he had a lot of fun filming for the show because the cast had such god chemistry. He said that there was a point where he couldn't deliver his lines properly because Jung Sang Hoon was so funny.
Team Bulldog: Off Duty Investigation will premiere on May 23 and will be available for streaming on Viki.
