Do we sense trouble brewing for Kim Jae Joong (김재중)? The Hallyu star may have found himself in a tricky situation thanks to his wrongly-timed April Fools prank.
Earlier, Jae Joong personally “revealed” on his Instagram that he got infected with Covid-19, and was hospitalised.
“I’ve been infected with Covid-19. This was all due to my carelessness, for ignoring the advice provided by the government and all those around me. It’s a wonder knowing on how significant that one person’s actions can affect the greater society.. I feel bad towards those who may have also been inflicted with the virus because of me,” he initially wrote on the caption.
The former TVXQ member continued, “I’ve become like this because of my stupid decision, thinking that it’ll never be me. I’m currently receiving treatment in hospital. I am wrapped up feelings of gratitude and apology while reflecting on my past. There are so many things I want to say.. I want to see so many people..”
False alarm guys! Less than an hour after the shocking post made its way online, Jae Joong clarified that he intended to spread awareness to everyone amidst the crisis the world is currently facing.
“It’s a heartbreaking thing to have a loved one being infected with the virus. Despite the fact, a lot of people are roaming around as if it won’t ever happen to them. Many people are worried about their family and loved ones who may fall sick because of such selfish trait,” Jae Joong wrote on the now-edited caption.
He added, “This was too much for an April Fools joke. But a lot of y’all were concerned about me for a short period of time. This is definitely not something that only happens to other people. I’ll accept all the punishment for posting this. Stay healthy.”
K-fans have taken to Twitter to express their frustration and disappointment towards the “Protect The Boss” actor for his untimely prank, despite his pure attention in creating awareness about the pandemic.
The IG post has since been deleted.
Update (Thursday, 2nd April)
In response to recent case regarding Kim Jae Joong, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has released a statement that reads (translated via Soompi):
“We are currently investigating (the case). It involves the spreading of false information, so we’re discussing on what kind of punishment will be carried out. It’s possible to penalise those who are reported for inciting disorder by continually making malicious prank calls to the epidemic prevention authorities. However, since this case is done by a famous figure on social media, seems like more internal discussion is required.”
Additionally, Kim Kang Rip, the first chief coordinator at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, shared in a press conference, “1st April is known as April Fool’s Day, which originated in the West. However we are currently in a very serious period. Our society is not in a place where we can accept people pranking others with fake news.”
Jae Joong had already apologised to the public in another Instagram post that was updated on the same day since the incident came to light.
Source: Jazmine Media.
