On the 19th, Kwak shared a formal apology, writing, “It took me a long time to write this.”
“I was afraid and deeply ashamed, and I couldn’t easily find the words in the face of my wrongdoing,” he said. “To everyone hurt and disappointed by my actions, I offer my sincerest apology.”
“In 2022, I committed the serious offense of driving under the influence. Since then, I’ve spent time reflecting and repeatedly asking myself whether I deserve to stand before the public. In the quiet that followed, I thought deeply about how to live―not just as an actor, but as a person. I now realize that many things I took for granted were never guaranteed,” he continued.
He also acknowledged the projects that were delayed because of him. “Watching work I’d already finished being released much later made me think a lot. I’m truly sorry I didn’t apologize sooner and missed the right moment to address it.”
“Before I resume any activities, I want to show the responsibility I failed to demonstrate―step by step, through my actions,” he added. “I won’t rush to ask for forgiveness. I’ll prove it with my life, not words. To everyone I let down, I am deeply sorry.”
In September 2022, Kwak was fined 10 million won after driving roughly 10 kilometers in Jeju with a blood alcohol content of 0.158%, well above the threshold for license revocation. The incident indefinitely delayed the release of his completed film "Firefighters" and the series "Villains"; "Firefighters" opened last year, and "Villains" began streaming on Tving on the 18th after a three-year wait.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
