Ji Ye-eun (지예은), a member of SBS variety show “Running Man,” is set to marry dancer VATA (바타) this December, bringing their wedding plans into the spotlight. Previously, fellow “Running Man” cast members Song Ji-hyo (송지효) and Ji Seok-jin (지석진) offered to sing at the wedding, but the bride-to-be, Ji Ye-eun, declined, stating she desired a certain “quality” for the performances. Unexpectedly, singer Roy Kim (로이킴) recently found himself embroiled in a similar controversy, with public speculation that he had initially agreed to sing for Ji Ye-eun and VATA but later backed out. Roy Kim recently went live on social media to clarify, emphasizing that he never made such a promise and expressing his disappointment with the “reckless comments” he frequently encounters online, which leave him feeling “disappointed in humanity.”
Roy Kim addressed the escalating “wedding song controversy” directly during a recent live broadcast on his personal social media. He stated, “After the recent broadcast of ‘GYM Jong Kook,’ news and short videos about wedding songs kept appearing. What’s certain is that I never promised to sing a wedding song, but it’s being reported as if I did and then refused to follow through, which is a bit regrettable. The person who initially agreed was Jong Kook hyung.”
Regarding the various online comments directed at him, Roy Kim admitted that due to his increased activity recently, a lot of content related to him has appeared online, including numerous careless discussions, evaluations, and offhand remarks. He stated that he has always tried to remain unaffected by these comments, but sometimes he inevitably wavers and hopes fans will offer support during such times.
Roy Kim further lamented, “It’s not like that, so why do people think it is? Sometimes it truly makes me feel disappointed in humanity, even to the point of completely losing faith in people. I actually live my life based on trust and affection for others, so now I can only look at the audience who come to my concerts to slowly regain that trust.” He also urged everyone to consider the potential impact of their words before criticizing others and to be cautious when typing.
The controversy originated from a “GYM Jong Kook” YouTube channel video released on October 22. In the video, Roy Kim and Kim Jong-kook (김종국) discussed wedding songs, with Roy Kim revealing that he receives too many requests, making it difficult to readily accept them. He explained, “There are genuinely too many requests; I can’t agree to everyone. Sometimes, if I sing for one person, others might feel, ‘Is my friendship with you not as good?’ Some even gossip behind my back if I don’t sing for them.” He clarified that even if he wanted to help, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone, leading to interpersonal difficulties when declining requests.
After hearing Roy Kim’s explanation, Kim Jong-kook suddenly brought up an incident from a past filming of SBS’s “Running Man,” asking him directly, “Didn’t Ji Ye-eun ask you to sing a wedding song before, and didn’t you agree?” The unexpected question left Roy Kim looking bewildered, and he quickly retorted, “Did I say that?” He then added that if his schedule allowed and he was genuinely happy for the couple, he would naturally want to help, but he had not given a definitive commitment.
Kim Jong-kook then called Ji Ye-eun directly to confirm. Ji Ye-eun, who answered the phone, seemed to vividly recall the situation, emphasizing, “When we were eating beef soup and rice, he definitely said he would help sing.” Seeing Roy Kim’s discomfort, Ji Ye-eun couldn’t help but say, “If you really don’t want to sing…” Her tone sounded somewhat disappointed.
Roy Kim quickly explained, “It’s not that I don’t want to sing!” Kim Jong-kook also tried to mediate, stating that the company had already set a policy of not accepting wedding song requests. However, Ji Ye-eun didn’t let up, directly retorting, “Then why did you say you would sing at the time? How can you go back on your word?” The series of blunt exchanges filled the set with laughter.
Unexpectedly, after the video was released, certain segments were edited into short videos and circulated on online communities, leading many to mistakenly believe that Roy Kim had initially agreed to sing for Ji Ye-eun but later backed out. Some even questioned whether he selectively accepted requests based on the closeness of his relationships, leading to significant criticism against him.
However, according to Roy Kim’s recent statement, the person who initially agreed to sing the wedding song was actually Kim Jong-kook, not himself. What was originally a lighthearted conversation on the show unexpectedly caused a misunderstanding online, prompting Roy Kim to personally step forward to clarify and explain the sequence of events.
