Kim Ho-joong appears on fan cafe one month after release from prison, "Will perform on stage after recovering health"

Singer Kim Ho-joong shared an update on his condition through his official fan cafe one month after being sentenced to prison for a hit-and-run drunk driving accident and being granted parole. On the 27th, Kim Ho-joong posted a message titled ″Dear Aris″ on the fan cafe, greeting his fans after a long time. He said, ″I miss you a lot. I don’t know how many days I waited just to say this one sentence.″ He continued, ″The past month since my parole felt like my time was continuing from two years ago,″ and added, ″I carefully revisited the things I had done and gently brushed off the dusty memories.″ Kim Ho-joong expressed that he thought about how difficult and lonely it must have been for his fans during his absence, saying, ″When I think about how you have unwaveringly kept your place, believed in me, and supported me despite the long wait, feelings of gratitude and apology come over me together.″ He also announced that he decided to continue working with his agency Art M&C (formerly Saenggak Entertainment). He explained, ″I decided to continue with the existing staff who had to endure difficulties together because of my mistakes,″ and added, ″Since they had to endure tough times because of me, staying with them until the end is an important responsibility I must fulfill, and it is the way I have lived and will continue to live. It was a decision I thought about a lot.″ Art M&C stated that this is not a new or renewed contract but fulfilling activities according to the remaining period of the existing contract. A representative said, ″There was a remaining contract period, and we decided to take responsibility and do our best regarding that.″ Currently, the largest shareholder of Art M&C is CT Investment, which is also reported to have acquired Kim Ho-joong’s remaining exclusive contract rights for about three years. Regarding his health, Kim Ho-joong revealed, ″I am about to undergo ankle surgery,″ and said, ″I will recover well both physically and mentally and stand before you again in a healthier and stronger state.″ A representative explained, ″Since both ankles were in poor condition even before the incident, surgery is unavoidable. He plans to focus on treatment for a while after his release.″ Kim Ho-joong was arrested and prosecuted for drunk driving on May 9, 2024, in Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where he crossed the center line and collided with a taxi before fleeing the scene and instructing his manager Jang to turn himself in on his behalf. He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison and served time at Seoul Detention Center before being transferred to Somang Prison in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, last August. His original release date was November 24, but he was granted early release on June 30 after passing the Ministry of Justice’s parole review. The agency CEO Lee and former director Jeon, who were tried together for instructing manager Jang to turn himself in to cover up the accident, were sentenced to two years and one year and six months in prison, respectively, while manager Jang received one year in prison with a two-year probation. Upon his release, Kim Ho-joong stated, ″I will carry out the remaining sentence with greater responsibility and repentance so that the feeling of freedom and liberation from leaving the prison gates does not come first.″