He is currently on probation due to a previous drug case, raising the possibility of harsher penalties.
His comeback performance has been canceled due to the drunk driving incident.
[TV Daily Reporter Hwang Seo-yeon] Nam Tae-hyun has openly admitted to charges of drunk driving. In the first hearing at the Seoul Western District Court on December 11, he acknowledged the facts of the incident that occurred in April when he crashed into a barrier on the road. His blood alcohol level exceeded the legally permissible limit, and he was driving at a staggering speed of 182 km/h. Although Nam was charged without detention and accepted most of the allegations, his lawyer raised objections to certain evidence. Thus, a follow-up hearing is scheduled for January 15, 2024. This incident marks Nam's second offense of drunk driving and occurs during the probation period from a previous drug-related conviction, raising concerns about possible harsher penalties. Despite these challenges, he was preparing for his comeback performance earlier this year, which has now been canceled due to this incident.
Nam Tae-hyun's case of drunk driving is intertwined with several intricate issues within the entertainment industry he is part of. With both drunk driving and drug-related incidents coming to light simultaneously, public backlash is inevitable. The negative associations with his music career due to such behavior are considerably damaging. The higher one's fame, the greater the expectations and scrutiny from the public. As such, this incident raises a pressing need for him to rebuild trust with his audience.
This article is KOSTAR’s reinterpretation of a story originally reported by TVDaily.
Photo: DB
