Hong Suk-chun responds to haters on post remembering late volleyballer

Television

Published: 07 Feb. 2022, 18:35

Hong Suk-chun responds to haters on post remembering late volleyballer

The late Kim In-hyeok, left, and Hong Suk-chun [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Entertainer Hong Suk-chun shot back at haters who left malicious comments on his condolences for the late professional volleyballer Kim In-hyeok.

“I want to have a word with the haters,” Hong wrote on his Instagram account on Monday. “Do haters have trouble understanding things? What do you mean I ‘outed’ someone and insulted the deceased?”

He uploaded screen captures of hate comments he received, attacking him while saying he had “outed the deceased” and “shamed the deceased” because Hong had said Kim was “different.”

“Saying that someone is different doesn’t mean that they are homosexual,” Hong said in his post. “It just means that he was different from the typical male volleyball athlete, with a different way of expressing himself, and that he went through so much pain due to hate comments and stress. Now you’re all attacking me.

“I’ve had to put up with so many hate comments for the past 22 years after coming out,” Hong continued. “Haters, you are all murderers. Don’t make it more difficult for [Hong] and [his] family, and stop. I’m warning you.”

Kim was found dead in his home on Feb. 4. There were no signs of homicide. Kim had been open that he was suffering from hate comments prior to his death.

In August last year, Kim uploaded a post saying, “the misunderstandings that people have had about me for the past 10 years, I’ve always thought that ignoring them was the answer, but now I’m exhausted. Please stop leaving hate comments about me.”

Hong uploaded a post on Feb. 6, sending his condolences regarding Kim.

“In the season of politics, the season of the Olympics, the season of a pandemic, the reality of people becoming selfish has crushed my soul […] I have been unable to save another friend,” the post read. “Attacking and discriminating someone just because they are different and pushing them to their death is what happens every day in the grounds of 2022. Where am I to stand. I am a real loser. Rest in peace, Kim In-hyeok.”

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]