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| Bae Sung-woo / Photo=DB |
[Sports Today reporter Im Si-ryeong] Actor Bae Sung-woo has returned to a leading role for the first time in seven years following a drunk-driving controversy. He also sat for his first press interview since the incident, saying, \”I intend to live properly.\”
On the 26th, Bae met reporters at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, to discuss his film Final Investigation and to reflect on the intervening years.
This was his first official interview since the drunk-driving scandal. In 2020, police caught Bae driving under the influence in the Sinsa-dong area of Gangnam District, Seoul. His blood-alcohol concentration exceeded 0.08%, the level that triggers license revocation. In January 2021, prosecutors summarily charged him under the Road Traffic Act and fined him 7 million KRW (approximately 5,250 USD).
The fallout was severe. Once celebrated for his prolific output, Bae disappointed the public, and completed projects were hit by reputational risk. His lead film Final Investigation suffered a direct blow: shot in 2019 and slated for a 2020 release, the movie was postponed indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Bae’s drunk-driving case. It would take seven years before the film finally saw the light of day.
Since 2023, projects featuring Bae in supporting or cameo roles have reached audiences after editorial adjustments, including the film 1947 Boston, the Netflix series The Eight Show, and the Disney+ series Lighting Shop. During his period of reflection, Bae attended The Eight Show press conference, issued a public apology for the first time in four years, and announced his return. He also appeared on Coupang Play’s SNL Korea 7 to signal his intent to resume activities.
Now, roughly seven years later, Bae stands before the public again as a leading man. In his first extended media interview in a long time, he said, \”I realized how important it is how a person lives, and I decided to live properly.\” He added, \”I hope audiences enjoy this film and find meaning in parts of it. I just want to make sure nothing is wasted for the people who watch.\”
Yet public opinion remains chilly. Recent drunk-driving controversies involving celebrities have expanded into debates over social responsibility, and the public’s standards have grown stricter. There is no fixed rule for a comeback, but the drunk-driving label is clearly a mistake he will carry for life. He should not forget that, as the film’s lead, his actions were irresponsible for a project that might have received better reviews had it been released as scheduled.
Bae has returned as a lead after seven years still carrying the stigma of drunk driving. Whether his belated pledge to \”live properly\” will read as sincere to a disappointed public remains uncertain. Industry observers are watching to see whether Final Investigation will act as a form of absolution or lead to genuine atonement.
[Sports Today reporter Im Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
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