MC Mong Apologizes to IU for 'Grand Princess' Remark

Singer and producer MC Mong mentioned and defended singer and actress IU during his explanation of the controversies surrounding him. MC Mong held a live broadcast on his social media account on the 20th, claiming that some media outlet PDs colluded with false informants and specific groups. In this context, he mentioned the MBC drama "The Great Lord of the 21st Century," which recently faced historical distortion controversy, and lamented, "Recently, an MBC drama was criticized for historical distortion, and IU bowed her head. Why should IU bow her head? The staff who caused the historical distortion are not taking responsibility, but IU bows her head. Why?" He added, "​Celebrities who put their faces out there are the weak ones. It's a country that forces celebrities to be like Confucius."

The MBC drama "The Great Lord of the 21st Century," which ended on the 16th, was embroiled in a historical distortion controversy in its final episodes due to depictions and settings that suggested Korea was a vassal state of China. The production team apologized, stating, "This issue arose because we did not meticulously examine how Joseon's etiquette changed throughout history." Following the lead actors IU and Byun Woo-seok, the director and writer also issued official apologies. IU stated in an official statement, "​As the lead actor of the work, I am very sorry and my heart is still heavy that I could not show a responsible attitude and caused great disappointment," and "​I unreservedly reflect and apologize for not contemplating more deeply the historical accuracy issues in the drama that you pointed out before acting."

Meanwhile, since the 18th, MC Mong has been engaged in a revelation campaign through live broadcasts, refuting various allegations such as illegal gambling, infidelity, and prostitution, and naming individuals involved. He mentioned the name of a TV Chosun PD who approached him for reporting on his overseas gambling and claimed to have sent a text message asking, "You said that I received 2 billion won in 2022 under the guise of investment funds, squandered it on gambling, and ultimately my agency's singers covered it with performance advances, and that you repaid the 22 billion won. Is this true?" He also expressed his frustration, stating, "​Since Million Market, I haven't used a corporate card once and even sold copyrights to nurture the company." MC Mong also claimed that MBC PDs met with Cha Jun-young's confidant and conspired, mentioning violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

MC Mong also refuted allegations of prostitution by releasing KakaoTalk messages exchanged with an acquaintance. He stated, "They turned us into strange women involved in prostitution, and Cha Jun-young's side contacted me offering any amount of money for an interview," and "​Does it make sense to expose people like that and then offer money for testimony? I can't even live my life socially because of that video, and I feel like I'm going to die. Is money more important than that? I can't even sleep because I'm so wronged," he said angrily. In his first live broadcast, MC Mong had previously mentioned the names of several celebrities, including Kim Min-jong, claiming the existence of an illegal gambling group, to which Kim Min-jong's side stated, "​It is a clear falsehood."

The veracity of MC Mong's claims has yet to be determined, and some of the individuals whose names were mentioned have announced legal action.