Kim Min-jong withdraws defamation lawsuit against MC Mong, stating "Accepted sincere apology"... Mentions damages to Hollywood and advertising

Actor Kim Min-jong spoke about his feelings for the first time on a broadcast since his legal dispute with MC Mong. On the 11th, on SBS’s variety show ″My Ugly Duckling,″ Kim Min-jong revealed the process of withdrawing his lawsuit after accepting MC Mong’s apology regarding recent controversies related to illegal gambling allegations. In May, MC Mong claimed on a live broadcast that there was an illegal gambling group in the entertainment industry and mentioned Kim Min-jong by name. Kim Min-jong immediately denied the claims as groundless and filed a defamation lawsuit against MC Mong under the Information and Communications Network Act on September 1. At the time, Kim Min-jong’s side argued that his reputation and trust, built since his debut in 1988, had been damaged. As a result, Kim Min-jong had to withdraw from a new Hollywood film shooting on location in the U.S., and two major advertising contracts under discussion were also canceled. On September 5, MC Mong met Kim Min-jong in person to apologize and admitted his wrongdoing during the live broadcast. Kim Min-jong said, ″I thought it was necessary to give another chance to someone who admitted their mistake and apologized. It is true that I suffered wounds and damages that are hard to heal over the past four months, but I did not want to ignore the heart of a junior who reflected and asked for forgiveness. I believed that embracing a person was a more meaningful choice than legal action.″ Kim Min-jong’s legal representative announced on September 10 that the lawsuit had been withdrawn, closing the misunderstanding and conflict. On the same broadcast, Kim Min-jong revealed his newly renovated second house in Yangpyeong after five years. Actor Lee Jong-hyuk and singer Yoon Min-soo were invited to the housewarming party and expressed admiration for the changes inside and outside the house. Kim Min-jong attempted a Finnish-style salmon dish for the two, but an unexpected incident occurred. Additionally, while sharing memories of the cast of the drama ″A Gentleman’s Dignity,″ a phone connection was made with Kim Soo-ro. Kim Soo-ro, the only unmarried member among the cast, offered dating advice and volunteered to arrange a blind date for Kim Min-jong. The broadcast also showed Kim Min-jong demonstrating his feng shui routine in a one-person outdoor tent. Kim Min-jong stated, ″Another actor has already been cast for the planned movie. I think it was not meant to be.″ He added, ″The director had been preparing the project for three years, so he had a harder time.″ He then opened up about his feelings over the past four months, saying, ″My mental state fluctuated a lot,″ and concluded, ″As time passed, I was able to sort things out. What’s past is past, and I believe the future will be better.″