There's an old saying, "Sometimes, family can be worse than enemies." Families are expected to be our strongest allies, but there are instances when individuals don't even receive basic respect due to their family ties or are implicated in mistakes they didn't commit. Recently, the entertainment industry has been abuzz with stars being thrust into the spotlight due to their family's debt issues.
On September 19, TWICE's Nayeon and her mother emerged victorious in a lawsuit over a debt default of 600 million won. Nayeon's mother's former boyfriend, Mr. A, claimed he lent money for living expenses at her request, with an agreement that once Nayeon, who was then a trainee, debuted as a singer, she would repay him. However, the court ruled in favor of Nayeon and her mother, stating that considering the romantic relationship between Mr. A and Nayeon's mother at the time, it's challenging to definitively label the money as a loan. In response, JYP Entertainment, Nayeon's agency, emphasized that the case has been conclusively settled and is unrelated to the artist's activities. They also warned against any speculative or defamatory comments about the artist.
Before this, rapper Microdot faced a hiatus due to his parents' debt controversies. In 2018, it was revealed that Microdot's parents had defrauded villagers in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, 20 years ago and then fled to New Zealand. Initially, Microdot labeled these claims as "false" and prepared for legal action. However, as concrete evidence and testimonies emerged, the controversy escalated. Microdot then clarified that he was only five years old when his family migrated to New Zealand and promised to do his best to resolve the issue amicably.
However, subsequent revelations suggested that Microdot was aware of his parents' fraudulent activities, leading to further public backlash. Eventually, Microdot's parents were sentenced to prison and deported to New Zealand after serving their terms. Due to the controversy's impact, Microdot took a hiatus. Last month, he appeared on MBN's 'Special Report World' and revealed that he's working at a barbecue restaurant to repay the victims and is making efforts to reach an agreement.
In a similar vein, rapper Dok2 also faced backlash when it was revealed that his mother borrowed 10 million won and didn't repay it. His initial response, which downplayed the amount, further fueled the controversy. However, he later clarified that he had reached out to the victim and agreed to repay the debt on behalf of his mother.
Several other celebrities, including Han So-hee, Kim Hye-soo, MAMAMOO's Wheein, Cha Ye-ryun, Lee Young-ja, and Kang Min-kyung, have also been embroiled in controversies due to family debts. However, it's crucial to note that children are not obligated to bear the sins of their parents. While some argue that celebrities should be held accountable for their family's wrongdoings, others believe it's unfair to hold them responsible for mistakes they didn't commit.
For instance, Han So-hee's mother accumulated a significant debt under her daughter's name without her knowledge. The court ruled that Han So-hee was not involved. Han apologized to the victims but made it clear she had no plans to take responsibility for her mother's debts, emphasizing that she would take legal action against those trying to exploit her fame to recover the money.
In the cases of MAMAMOO's Wheein, Cha Ye-ryun, and Kang Min-kyung, they were embroiled in debt controversies involving fathers with whom they had already severed ties. Their past actions of paying off their fathers' debts or being tormented by them were revealed, evoking sympathy. Kim Hye-soo also confessed that she had cut ties with her mother long ago due to her mother's debt issues.
In situations like these, excluding cases like Microdot and Dok2 where initial inappropriate responses fueled public anger, the majority of the public has shown support for stars entangled in 'family debt' issues. There have been instances where individuals tried to exploit the fame of celebrity families to exaggerate controversies, forcing celebrities to disclose unwanted family matters and damaging their public image.
Nevertheless, many stars have shown their commitment to resolving family debts, emphasizing their moral responsibility. While celebrities are held to a higher moral standard than the general public due to the nature of their profession, it's hoped that they won't be unfairly burdened with responsibilities they didn't ask for.
