Hong Seok-cheon Warns Fans After Being Betrayed by 20s Male: 'Millions of Won Scammed in My Name'—Legal Action Planned

Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon has revealed he is the victim of a scam, urging fans to stay vigilant.

On the 12th, Hong Seok-cheon took to his personal social media account to share a heartfelt message, saying, "These days, there are all kinds of scammers out there."

He explained, "A man in his 20s, who claimed to be my fan, once asked me to visit the Han River floating café where he works. I went just once, took some photos and videos, and that was it. But now, I've received multiple reports that this same person has been using my name, even faking KakaoTalk chats to appear close to me, and telling people that I would help him solve his financial problems. He has allegedly scammed several women out of tens of millions of won each (KRW 10 million = approx. $7,300 USD)."

Hong continued, "Please be careful of any man in his 20s who uses my name or claims to be close to me to borrow money or ask for investments. If you've been a victim, report it to the police. I will share more details on YouTube and will consider legal action after confirming the legal issues."



The released screenshots show a messenger conversation where a man impersonating Hong Seok-cheon says things like, "The advance will be deposited at 12 o'clock the day after tomorrow," "Let's sign the contract on Saturday after the deposit," and "You'll get a call from Lala tomorrow, answer the unknown number." The scammer casually continues the conversation as if he were Hong Seok-cheon himself.

Addressing the impersonator, Hong Seok-cheon firmly warned, "Settle your friend's debt that you contacted me about, and cut ties with that friend. If you do, I'll take care of all the money, including your friend's. If not, don't ever contact me again. I mean what I say."

He added, "Handle everything today and let me know tomorrow morning that you've cut ties with that friend. If you do, I'll help you with the advance and settle your friend's money too. If you can't even do that, don't ever contact me again."

Meanwhile, Hong Seok-cheon, born in 1971, debuted in 1995 and is currently hosting the web variety show 'Hong Seok-cheon's Jewel Box.' (A digital variety show where Hong Seok-cheon shares stories and interviews guests.)

Photo Credit: Xportsnews, Hong Seok-cheon's Social Media

This article is a translated version of the original Korean article published by Xportsnews, originally written by Jang Inyoung. This article was translated from Korean using AI-assisted tools and human review to deliver an accurate and culturally appropriate version for international readers.