It is the fall of the ‘Trot prodigy’. The underage singer Jung Dong-won (18) has come under scrutiny again for unlicensed driving. This is the second time after being given a suspended indictment for illegal motorcycle riding in 2023.
On the 11th, it was revealed that the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office is investigating Jung Dong-won for violating the Road Traffic Act (unlicensed driving). Jung Dong-won is accused of driving a vehicle without a license in Hadong, Gyeongnam, when he was 16 years old in 2023.
According to Article 82 of the Road Traffic Act, individuals can obtain a driver's license, including a Class 1 general license, starting at the age of 18. Driving a vehicle without a license can result in a maximum of 10 months in prison or a fine of 3 million won.
The background of Jung Dong-won's unlicensed driving allegations becoming known later is due to a video taken at the time. In March, Jung Dong-won reported three individuals who demanded over 200 million won as hush money after securing a video of him driving without a license.
The police arrested the three individuals, and Jung Dong-won was investigated as a victim. Subsequently, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul recognized the allegations of unlicensed driving and forwarded the case to the prosecution in June of the same year.
Upon the revelation of the facts, Jung Dong-won admitted to unlicensed driving and apologized.
His agency, Showplay, stated, “We sincerely apologize for the unfortunate incident involving our artist Jung Dong-won,” adding, “Jung Dong-won practiced driving for about 10 minutes on mountain roads near his hometown in Hadong, and there is a passenger who filmed that.”
They continued, “Jung Dong-won deeply regrets and reflects on his mistake of practicing driving without a license,” and “We will do our best to manage and educate our artist to grow into a more mature and responsible member of society. We will also thoroughly guide him to prevent such unfortunate incidents from happening again in the future.”
Jung Dong-won gained recognition by finishing 5th in the final of the trot audition program TV Chosun’s ‘Mr. Trot’ at the age of 13, which aired in 2020. Since then, he has been active in various fields, including as a K-pop idol under the alias JD1, concerts, and music releases.
However, after receiving a suspended indictment for riding a motorcycle on the East Dongbu Expressway in Seoul, where motorcycle traffic is prohibited, in March 2023, he has faced another controversy for violating the Road Traffic Act, making it impossible to avoid damage to his image.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
