Singer Kim Gun-mo is returning after six years. It is still cautious for him to publicly show his face in front of the public. The choice he made was none other than a 'concert'.
According to the concert production company Istar Media Company on the 26th, Kim Gun-mo will hold the '2025-2026 Kim Gun-mo Live Tour KIM GUN MO' starting in Busan on September 27, followed by Daegu on October 18 and Daejeon on December 20.
After that, he will continue performances in major cities across the country, including Seoul, in January next year.
Kim Gun-mo completely halted all activities after being embroiled in sexual assault allegations in December 2019. At that time, a woman from an entertainment establishment accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2016, and Kim Gun-mo also countersued her for defamation and false accusations.
Ultimately, he was not prosecuted by the prosecution in November 2021 due to 'no charges', freeing him from the controversy. However, having been embroiled in a scandal once, he faced difficulties in continuing his activities and eventually disappeared for six years.
As time passed, Kim Gun-mo returned to the public and ultimately stepped onto the stage, prioritizing his main profession as a singer. Due to the nature of the concert, fans who want to see him will gather at the venue, creating a space solely for Kim Gun-mo.
This serves as the only place for singers who had halted their activities due to scandals to return and communicate.
Lim Chang-jung, who has been actively involved in various fields, also entered a period of self-reflection after being implicated in a stock manipulation investment incident in 2023. Like Kim Gun-mo, he received a non-prosecution disposition regarding the incident, seemingly escaping the controversy, but he stopped his activities due to the harsh public gaze.
After halting all activities for about two years, Lim Chang-jung held a concert this year to celebrate his 30th anniversary since debut. The performances took place in Busan, Seoul, Daegu, and Goyang, and all tickets were sold out. Fans awaited his return, responding with full houses at the concert venues.
Such behavior is also evident in the trot scene. Hwang Young-woong, who had dropped out of a competition program due to past incidents of dating violence, school bullying, and injury charges, is currently holding offline events such as fan meetings and concerts without any issues.
The trot singer fandom, known for its strong cohesion, shows unwavering support for their favorite singers regardless of any controversies. Some fans of Kim Ho-joong, who faced scrutiny for drunk driving last May, even embraced him by mentioning his difficult past.
No controversy seemed to matter in front of the fans. Backed by this support, the controversial singers are standing before the public not in one-off performances but in the form of nationwide tours.
This is a result of the singers' determination to return and the unwavering love of their fans, but it is also clear that there are disapproving views from the general public.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
