After 14 years with one of the most prolific K-pop groups in entertainment, 34-year-old Kangin announced via Instagram that he will be leaving Super Junior. Kangin posted the notice on Thursday, citing a “long debate” prior to finalizing his decision:
“I’ve always felt nothing but feelings of apology toward my members. I’ve always felt that I needed to come to this decision as soon as possible, but due to the kind hearts of those who cheer me on unchangingly as well as my label’s staff despite my faults, I was not able to summon the courage, and I also felt that I was not in a situation where I could decide anything blindly on my own. However, due to my own problems, I had to watch my members suffer misfortunes that they should not have had to face, and I’ve come to the decision that I cannot delay it any longer.”
Since 2009, Kangin has been at the center of a few scandals. In 2009 he was arrested for an alleged assault that reportedly occurred outside of a bar in Seoul. A month later he was involved in a hit-and-run with a taxi while he was under the influence, which he took responsibility for after turning himself in to police hours later. Seven years later he was involved in another intoxicated hit-and-run accident, which led to a fine and removal from a number of scheduled appearances by his label, SM Entertainment. Due to his checkered history, he and fellow groupmate Sungmin were excluded from Super Junior’s upcoming album, which is set to release this year. Though he has officially left the group, Kangin will remain on the group’s dedicated label, Label SJ, as a solo artist.
[Via The Korea Herald]