Photo: Teemeah · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in South Korea · Nationality South Korean — Culture / K-pop

Choi Jong-hoon

Documented profile covering 6 controversies, including “Drink-driving in 2016 with a blood alcohol level of approximately 0.097%” and “Attempted bribery of a police officer with 2 million won to suppress drink-driving case”.

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Profile No. 0365 · Updated on 12 October 2026

6Documented controversies

6Sources

0Formal charge · all time

2Convictions

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

2024

Attempted resumption of activities in Japan through a paid fan community

No legal proceedings

In January 2024, approximately five years after the scandal, Choi opened a paid fan community in Japan on the Fanicon platform under the name "HUNIYA", presented as a space to communicate with supporters and discuss future projects. The initiative triggered a backlash over an attempted comeback following his convictions for sexual offences.

State of the evidence: Documented
Legal status — source text: No legal proceedings
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
SBS'버닝썬' 최종훈, 5년 만에 日 활동 복귀?…유료 팬커뮤니티 오픈MediaHigh reliability
[2]
Maeil Business Newspaper‘집단 성폭행’ 최종훈, 복귀 시도?…5년 만에 日 팬커뮤니티 론칭MediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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2016 / jugement 2020

Attempted bribery of a police officer with 2 million won to suppress drink-driving case

Conviction

After being stopped for drink-driving in 2016, Choi offered two million won to a police officer in an attempt to make the case disappear or minimise it. He was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to one year's imprisonment, suspended for two years, in these additional proceedings.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Personally implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
YonhapEx-FT Island singer additionally convicted for filming rape victimsMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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2016-02

Drink-driving in 2016 with a blood alcohol level of approximately 0.097%

Civil / administrative proceedings

Choi Jong-hoon was stopped for drink-driving in February 2016 with a reported blood alcohol level of approximately 0.097%, a level resulting in licence suspension. The case resurfaced in 2019 in the context of Burning Sun.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Personally implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Dong-A Ilbo정준영 구속 수감… 최종훈 음주운전 금품무마 시도MediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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Case · 3 documented stages

Non-consensual recording of intimate images and distribution in private conversations

Conviction

2016

Non-consensual recording of intimate images and distribution in private conversations

Conviction

Choi was found guilty of photographing or filming naked women without their consent and then distributing images or videos to acquaintances through messaging services. These acts were tried in additional proceedings separate from the main gang rape trial.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Personally implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
YonhapEx-FT Island singer additionally convicted for filming rape victimsMediaHigh reliability
[2]
Newsis'몰카 유포·뇌물 시도' 가수 최종훈, 항소심도 집행유예MediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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2016-01

Gang rape in Hongcheon in January 2016

Conviction

Choi Jong-hoon and several other men, including Jung Joon-young, were definitively convicted of raping a woman during a gathering in Hongcheon in January 2016.

Attribution: Personally implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
YonhapSupreme Court affirms prison terms of singers in rape caseMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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2016-03

Gang rape in Daegu in March 2016

Conviction

Choi was also definitively convicted of the gang rape of another woman during a gathering in Daegu in March 2016, together with several members of the same messaging group.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Personally implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
YonhapSupreme Court affirms prison terms of singers in rape caseMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 21 August 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
Line width: number of documented references
Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)

Jung Joon-young1 documented reference
- Gang rape in Hongcheon in January 2016 Source ↗

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.