This Is Why People Think H.O.T. Lee Jae Won Is A Sex Offender
Former H.O.T member Lee Jae Won is still haunted by an old accusation that he is a sex offender. The charge was quickly dropped back in 2008, but its effect on Lee's career remains.
Ten years ago, Lee Jae Won's good deed turned into a nightmare when a drunk female trainee he helped accused him of rape. In 2008, Jae Won was sued and arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 19-year-old singer trainee whom he knew well. Three hours after his highly-publicized arrest, the girl dropped all charges and Jae Won was released.
Some, however, still think that the allegation is true and the singer is a sex offender. It is because many don't know that the woman who accused Jae Won actually recanted her story and also apologized to the singer. The girl's apology was not widely covered by the media. Moreover, speculations emerged that Jae Won took time off from the spotlight allegedly to reflect on the sexual assault filed against him.
The truth is that Lee has been enlisted for the mandatory military service in 2009. He was discharged in March 2011. Many are not aware of that because the "I'm So Hot" singer has kept a low-profile entry in the military. When he asked about his decision not to make a statement before entering the military service, he explained that it will only bring up the false rape accusation once again. He admitted that it took a toll on him and he doesn't want to talk about it so people will also forget it.
H.O.T. Reunion
Lee Jae Won got reunited with his H.O.T. bandmates on MBC's variety show, Infinite Challenge, 17 years after they disbanded in 2001. The two-part special, titled "ToToGa 3: Return Of The Kings H.O.T.," is part of Infinite Challenge's third "Saturday, Saturday is for Singers" project which aired last month.
It was an emotional reunion. Fans lined up outside the Olympic Stadium where the H.O.T. reunion was staged. Many broke down in tears when Moon Hee-Joon, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony An, Kangta, and Lee Jae-won appeared on stage. During their performance of their hit song, "You And I," the five members were overcome with emotion and began to shed tears. Undisputedly, H.O.T. is one the first boy bands that created the K-pop trend in South Korea and it other countries in Asia.
The five-member band was formed in 1996 and has released five albums and 13 singles, including the controversial tracks "We Are The Future" and "Line Up." The 90s K-pop group has been discussing a reunion since 2014 after they disbanded in 2011 but all attempts have proved to be unsuccessful.