Ken Rhee updates his Instagram with photos, videos

One of the photographs posted Wednesday on Ken Rhee's Instagram. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Ken Rhee, a Korean YouTuber and former Korean Navy special forces officer who went to Ukraine in March to fight Russia, updated his Instagram with multiple photographs and videos on Wednesday.

“How was badmouthing me so far?” he wrote with a post of a photograph of him and two other foreigners. “I’m sorry I’m still alive.”

Rhee also posted a photograph of canned food with the caption, “I’ll think of this as a Polish hotel breakfast and eat it.” The post appears to be a sarcastic response to netizens who claimed that he was spotted having breakfast at a hotel near the Polish border after failing to enter into Ukraine.

Last week, the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine (ILDU) said that “Our brother-in-arm and friend [Captain] Ken Rhee sustained injuries on the battlefield” and that he “received medical treatment by the Ukrainian Army’s medical service but he will return home for rehabilitation.”

Three days ago, Rhee also posted a video of himself getting an MRI at a hospital in Ukraine and said he’s going to come back to Korea to receive further treatment. Rhee added that if “the Korean government permits,” he “hopes to return to Ukraine.”

The Korean government has yet to make an official statement regarding Rhee’s return. The three other members of Rhee's team who have returned to Korea in March have been charged with violating a travel ban imposed by the government on Korean citizens traveling to Ukraine from Feb. 13. By law, anyone who disobeys a government travel ban can be sentenced to up to a year in prison or face a fine of up to 10 million won ($8,290).

Rhee was once one of the most sought-after TV personalities after his appearance on the YouTube reality series “Fake Men.” However, his popularity didn't last long after he faced accusations of sexual harassment.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]