Actor Go Kyung-pyo faces industry exit after drunk driving accident

Actor Go Kyung-pyo faces removal from upcoming programs following a drunk driving accident in Donggyo-dong, Seoul, on the 14th. A police breathalyzer test confirmed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.150%, a level that warrants driver's license revocation.

Actor Go Kyung-pyo (36) is undergoing a process of effectively being expelled from the broadcasting industry following a drunk driving accident. Just two days prior to the accident, a promotional variety show clip featured him smiling brightly while boasting about the "sulppang" (alcohol bread) he made, but that video has since been deleted. As efforts to erase his traces intensify across both current programs and upcoming variety shows, the aftermath of the drunk driving incident is spreading throughout content production.

Only two days ago, Go Kyung-pyo was promoting the new variety show 'Bogum Magical 2' through the official SNS of tvN. In a short video, he introduced the food he made with a bright expression, saying, "Have you tried the sulppang I made? It's really delicious, right? I learned how to make it from a chef in advance, and it was so delicious that even though I made it myself, I ate five of them." While it was a natural promotional video at the time, the content was deleted on the afternoon of the 14th after the drunk driving accident was revealed. The scene of him laughing while saying he ate five pieces of bread has left a bitter impression on the public as it overlaps with the reality of the drunk driving accident.

The accident involving Go Kyung-pyo occurred around 3:30 AM on the 14th in Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. While driving his passenger vehicle, he struck a cleaning vehicle, and a police breathalyzer test confirmed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.150%. This figure significantly exceeds the threshold for driver's license revocation. Under the Road Traffic Act, drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more but less than 0.2% can result in imprisonment for one year or more to two years, or a fine of between 5 million won and 10 million won.

His agency, CL&COMPANY, acknowledged the accident and issued an official apology. The agency stated, "He caused an accident by colliding with a cleaning vehicle while driving under the influence, and the blood alcohol concentration test confirmed a level that warrants license revocation." They further explained, "Go Kyung-pyo has returned home after completing the police investigation and is admitting his wrongdoing and deeply reflecting on it." The agency added that they take the seriousness of drunk driving heavily and will humbly accept any future dispositions.

They also added a promise to fulfill responsibilities, including victim recovery. However, despite the agency's apology and intention to fulfill responsibilities, the broadcasting industry's response is already becoming a reality. As the judgment is made that it is difficult to release content featuring Go Kyung-pyo as is, editing is proceeding in a direction to delete or minimize his appearances. The drunk driving accident has resulted in shifting the burden not just to the individual's deviation, but also to the production teams, broadcasting platforms, and fellow cast members.

Go Kyung-pyo has already disappeared from MBC's 'Hangout with Yoo' and is scheduled to be edited out of tvN's 'Sixth Sense: B-Side'. Upcoming programs are no exception. For the tvN show 'Bogum Magical 2' set to be released on the 29th and the TVING original 'The Great Escape: Urban Legends' scheduled for release on December 2, work is underway to remove as much of Go Kyung-pyo's appearance as possible. While adjusting the screen time of a specific performer in variety content built on the characters and relationships of the cast is a significant burden for production teams, the broadcasting industry's choice is being finalized quickly in the face of the serious wrongdoing of drunk driving.

Go Kyung-pyo, who was smiling and boasting about eating sulppang in a promotional video just a few days ago, now finds himself in a position where his traces must be erased even from his works. Drunk driving is not an issue that ends with an individual driver's judgment; it is an act that threatens the lives and safety of others on the road and causes a chain of damage to numerous related parties after an accident. As Go Kyung-pyo has expressed deep reflection, the upcoming police investigation, legal dispositions, victim recovery, and the process of fulfilling responsibilities remain the core tasks of this situation.

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