Former UN member Choi Jung Won has emerged from a nearly five-year legal battle, publicly announcing that he has finally cleared his name of allegations involving an extramarital affair and stalking. The lengthy legal proceedings, which cast a shadow over his career, have now officially concluded in his favor.
Choi Jung Won’s Emotional Instagram Post: “It’s Truly Over”
On July 29, Choi Jung Won took to Instagram to share a deeply personal message, reflecting on the immense emotional toll the controversies had taken. “For nearly five years, I felt like I was struggling in a dark, muddy swamp,” he wrote. “The lawsuits labeling me as ‘the other man’ and a stalker felt like a long tunnel where I had to endure even insults that no human being should hear.”
He continued with a palpable sense of relief, “Now it’s truly over. The lawsuit accusing me of having an affair ended in my favor, confirming that I committed no improper conduct. The stalking-related case has also concluded with a full non-indictment, clearing up all misunderstandings. This finally brings every case to an end.”
Choi Jung Won expressed his desire to now live “a humble and sincere life,” while also voicing disappointment over how rapidly false accusations spread, often overshadowing the ultimate resolution of such cases. “I want to say once again to everyone who followed these stories—whether out of concern, curiosity, or gossip—that every allegation over the past five years has ended with no criminal charges against me, and the false civil lawsuit was also resolved in my favor,” he affirmed.
Legal Clarity: Deferred Indictment for Aggravated Intimidation
His statement arrived shortly after prosecutors delivered their decision on a separate criminal investigation involving a former romantic partner. The Women’s and Children’s Crime Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office decided on July 16 to issue a deferred indictment (suspension of prosecution) on Choi’s charge of aggravated intimidation. Significantly, allegations of threatening to distribute recordings and violating South Korea’s anti-stalking law were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Under Korean law, aggravated intimidation can proceed even if a victim withdraws their complaint. However, prosecutors considered the complainant’s expressed desire not to pursue punishment, a request that was consistently made throughout the supplementary investigation.
Regarding the alleged threat to distribute recordings, prosecutors found insufficient evidence, noting that the remark appeared to have been made impulsively. They also acknowledged that, given Choi’s public figure status, the actual distribution of such material would have been highly improbable. This particular case had been referred to prosecutors by the Seoul Jungbu Police Station in November last year, following accusations that Choi had visited his former girlfriend’s residence with a weapon after their breakup in August and allegedly threatened her.
Five-Year Affair Scandal Debunked by Supreme Court
The long-running affair controversy itself began in January 2023, when a man identified as A filed a 100 million KRW (approximately 72,000 USD) damages lawsuit, claiming Choi had engaged in an affair with his wife, B. Simultaneously, Choi also faced separate allegations of stalking a former girlfriend, leading to a complex web of civil and criminal disputes.
Initially, the Seoul Family Court’s divorce ruling, which found B responsible for the marriage breakdown and ordered her to pay 30 million KRW to her husband, was widely seen as lending credibility to the affair claims against Choi. However, this decision was completely reversed by the Seoul High Court in September last year. The appellate court firmly ruled that Choi and B’s relationship did not constitute an extramarital affair, instead assigning primary responsibility for the marriage’s collapse to husband A due to his coercive behavior.
The legal journey concluded when the Supreme Court of Korea dismissed A’s appeal in January, making the appellate ruling final. This definitively cleared both Choi Jung Won and B of the affair allegations. With prosecutors also declining to indict Choi on the stalking-related accusations, the entirety of his lengthy civil and criminal legal battles have now concluded largely in his favor.
A Public Figure’s Battle: Choi Jung Won’s Consistent Denials and Career
Throughout the ordeal, Choi Jung Won consistently denied the affair allegations. He maintained that B was “nothing more than a close younger acquaintance,” explaining their childhood connection through families. He stated they had reconnected via KakaoTalk and met for a few meals simply to catch up, firmly asserting there was never any inappropriate relationship.
Choi Jung Won first debuted as a member of the popular early-2000s duo UN, gaining fame with hit songs like “Lifetime” and “Gift” before successfully transitioning his career into acting.
