Sung Si-kyung clears up 10-year rumor regarding Kim Hee Chul's passed-out photo

Singer Sung Si-kyung has cleared up a long-standing misunderstanding regarding a viral "passed-out photo" of Super Junior's Kim Hee Chul that has been discussed online for years.

Looking only at the viral image, the incident appeared as if someone had pressured him to drink, but the actual situation was quite different. Sung personally explained Kim's alcohol tolerance, the atmosphere of the gathering, and the unexpected misunderstanding that arose as the photo spread, emphasizing that "it was a personal choice, not coercion."

“Hee Chul is not someone who struggles with alcohol”

During the SBS entertainment program 'My Little Old Boy' broadcast on the 2nd, Sung and Jo Hyun Ah were shown having a conversation while camping.

During the episode, Sung naturally brought up the story of the photo of Kim Hee Chul that had once heated up online communities.

He recalled the situation, explaining, "It is a photo taken of Hee Chul lying passed out." The photo, which shows Kim asleep while intoxicated, gained significant attention in various online communities with narratives suggesting that Sung had forced Kim to drink heavily.

However, the actual story revealed by Sung was different.

He stated, "After the photo was released, I thought Kim's mother might misunderstand the situation." When the photo appeared on the broadcast, Kim's mother also showed a flustered expression, drawing laughter from the audience.

-The full story of the gathering that included Shin Dong-yup-

According to Sung, the gathering at the time did not involve any coercion or aggressive atmosphere.

He explained, "Shin Dong-yup came to my house to drink, and later Hee Chul joined us as well."

He also mentioned Kim's alcohol tolerance.

"Hee Chul is originally someone who drinks well," Sung said, adding, "But strangely, he only seems to get drunk particularly fast when drinking with me," which elicited laughter.

Since Kim is not someone with a weak tolerance, the explanation made the situation even more unexpected.

“You can lead a horse to a pond, but you cannot make it drink water”

The part Sung emphasized most was the controversy regarding forced drinking.

He drew a firm line against the perception held by some that he had forced Kim to drink.

Sung said, "You can lead a horse to a pond, but you cannot force it to drink water, can you? I have never once forced someone to drink alcohol."

This was also an expression of his stance on the culture of forced drinking, which has become a significant social issue recently.

His message was that while drinking together is a joy, ultimately, judging one's own limits and making a choice is an individual's responsibility.

-Kim Hee Chul asleep in the bathroom—The misunderstanding created by a single photo-

Sung also revealed the specific moment the photo was taken.

He said, "I was continuing to enjoy my drinks, but after Hee Chul went to the bathroom, he didn't return for a long time."

Thinking it was strange, he went to check, only to find that Kim had fallen asleep right there in the bathroom.

Sung explained, "I just saw him like that and took a photo."

However, the problem was that as the photo spread online, the context of the situation was lost.

As only a single scene remained, stories like "Sung made Kim drunk" were created, and an image entirely different from the actual situation became solidified.

-43-year-old Kim Hee Chul, still at the center of attention—The real story is different-

Kim is a star who has received much love since his debut due to his unique character and honest wit.

To that extent, his private life has always drawn public interest, and even small episodes easily become hot topics.

However, this explanation from Sung was an instance that showed the gap between a perceived image and the actual situation.

A single photo leaves a strong impression, but the story contained within it is much more complex.

The memory shared by Sung was not a "drunken incident," but a scene from a gathering of close friends.

Ultimately, in the digital age, it is important not to judge a person based solely on fragmentary scenes.

As Sung suggested, what is more important than the moment captured in a photo is the context in which that moment was created.