Former Roo'ra member Go Young-wook denies rumors involving TAEYEON

Former Roo'ra member Go Young-wook denied online speculations on the 28th that he was the senior singer involved in an anecdote shared by TAEYEON. While claiming he only met the singer once, Go, who was sentenced to prison for sex crimes in 2013, asserted he has always been popular with women.

Go Young-wook, a former member of the group Roo'ra, has publicly addressed online speculations surrounding Girls' Generation's TAEYEON, mentioning his past dating life in the process. He expressed frustration after being identified by online users as the individual involved in an anecdote TAEYEON had previously shared on an entertainment program without revealing his real name. Drawing attention to Roo'ra's peak in the 1990s, he claimed, "I have dated top actresses of the era in Korea because we liked each other." Public reaction to his rebuttal is mixed, as he is a figure who was effectively removed from the entertainment industry after being sentenced to prison for sex crimes.

On the 28th, Go Young-wook posted a lengthy message on his personal account expressing displeasure at the recent spreading speculations. He opened by stating, "I am trying to live quietly, just taking care of my cats, but there are landmines everywhere." Recently, online posts have been speculating about which senior singer sent a text offering to buy ice cream and made rude, drunken phone calls, based on an anecdote TAEYEON mentioned on a past variety show. Although TAEYEON did not disclose the person's name at the time, the controversy grew as some posts identified Go Young-wook.

In response, Go Young-wook claimed he has only met and spoken with TAEYEON once. Recalling his time as a fixed cast member on Mnet's 'Beatles Code' alongside Yoon Jong Shin and Yoo Se-yoon, he explained the situation. He noted that while he was somewhat annoyed because TAEYEON arrived late to the recording, his feelings eased when she entered the studio and greeted him, saying, "I am a fan of yours, senior." Go Young-wook denied the speculation that he acted rudely toward her, stating he merely gave a bashful greeting.

He also mentioned that he liked TAEYEON's music, noting that he enjoyed her solo song 'If' and expressed regret that he could not tell her at the time that he was a fan. Separately from the past controversies surrounding himself, he protested that it is unfair to target and criticize others based solely on unverified speculation. However, this explanation is his own stated position, and no separate evidence has been released to confirm that he is indeed the person TAEYEON mentioned on the past broadcast.

Go Young-wook also addressed anecdotes where female juniors in the industry mentioned him on variety shows. He claimed that broadcast writers often induce guests to tell stories more intensely for entertainment during pre-interviews, and that he actually maintained good relationships with those juniors. He explained that the juniors who spoke of him on broadcasts have contacted him first or met him in pleasant atmospheres during private gatherings.

In particular, he emphasized that he never made unilateral phone calls to female juniors in the early morning. He claimed that he is unexpectedly shy, greeted people politely and bashfully in waiting rooms, and only jokingly suggested following each other on Twitter during recordings. His position is that the actual relationships may differ from the anecdotes mentioned on past broadcasts.

He increased the intensity of his rebuttal by citing his past popularity. Stating that Roo'ra was one of the most popular groups of the 1990s and that he was a member who enjoyed that popularity, Go Young-wook claimed, "I have always been popular with women throughout my life." He added that dating news articles appeared several times and stated, "I have dated top actresses of the era in Korea because we liked each other." He then questioned the allegations, suggesting, "Why would I do such a thing by calling a junior like TAEYEON in the early morning?" No specific partners or supporting materials were provided regarding these comments about his past romantic life.

Go Young-wook also expressed strong dissatisfaction toward the authors of the online posts that identified him. He questioned why they concluded he was the person in question based on past variety show footage, asking if they thought they could treat him lightly. He used harsh expressions toward those agreeing with the posts criticizing him, expressing his displeasure. While the post began by denying the speculations regarding TAEYEON, it drew further attention by bringing up his past relationships with female juniors and his own popularity.

Having debuted with Roo'ra in 1994, Go Young-wook enjoyed popularity with songs such as 'Angel Without Wings' and '3!4!', but he was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting and forcibly molesting minors between 2010 and 2012. In 2013, the Supreme Court of Korea finalized his sentence of two years and six months in prison, along with five years of public notification of his personal information and three years of wearing an electronic tracking device. Due to this case, he lost public trust and effectively ceased activities in the entertainment industry.

This controversy arose as speculations regarding an unnamed individual from a past broadcast spread online, prompting Go Young-wook, who was identified as the subject, to step forward with an explanation. While Go Young-wook claims the speculations against him are untrue, public perception of his explanation and past actions remains a separate issue. The controversy continues as the need for caution in identifying unverified individuals intersects with the fact that social evaluations of an individual sentenced for serious past crimes do not easily change.

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