FT Island’s Choi Min-hwan under investigation for allegedly soliciting prostitution

Choi Min-hwan of FT Island. Image: X/@FT_FANCLUB

FT Island’s Choi Min-hwan is under police investigation following allegations of soliciting prostitution, Friday.

The Gangnam Police Station confirmed on Friday that it has launched an internal investigation into Choi on charges related to the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts. The case began after a complaint was filed through the national petition platform.

The allegations first came to light when Choi’s ex-wife, Yulhee, a former member of the girl group La Boum, posted a 37-minute video on her YouTube channel on Thursday. In the video, Yulhee claimed that Choi frequently visited prostitution businesses and released recordings of Choi’s conversation with an individual who appeared to be a staff member of a brothel, which were recorded from July to August 2022.

Following Yulhee’s video, a citizen filed a complaint through “e-people,” a platform under the Anticorruption and Civil Rights Commission, reporting both Choi and an alleged intermediary to the police for violations of the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts. The police have since launched an investigation into the claims.

Choi and Yulhee married in 2018, and they have three children: one son and twin daughters. The couple divorced in December 2022 after five years of marriage, with Choi taking custody of the children. Recently, he appeared on KBS 2TV parenting show “The Return of Superman,” where he expressed the challenges of being a single father.

“I sometimes wondered why I had to endure such criticism, feeling both unfairly treated and hurt,” Yulhee said through the YouTube video, sharing that she has received hurtful comments accusing her of neglecting her children since the divorce.

She added, “Despite my personal feelings about (Choi’s) actions, I don’t believe he has wronged our children as a father. Realistically, he has a house, and an extended family, and the children are happy with this life, which is why I relinquished custody.”

In response to the controversy, Choi’s agency, FNC Entertainment, released a statement on Friday expressing regret for disappointing the public and viewers. The company confirmed that Choi would be halting all media activities, including his appearances with his children on television.

Meanwhile, Choi’s band, FT Island, is scheduled to perform on Saturday in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, as part of the band’s “Pulse in Asia” tour celebrating their 17th anniversary. He will continue to perform in the country as planned.