Actor Jung Woo Sung is set to make his first public appearance since his personal controversies, including an extramarital affair, at the upcoming Blue Dragon Film Awards.

On November 29th, Star News reported that Jung Woo Sung will attend the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards, which will take place that afternoon at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.

The actor’s attendance had been uncertain due to his recent scandals, but after discussions with the event organizers, he decided to attend the main ceremony. However, he will not walk the red carpet.

Jung Woo Sung is nominated for the Best Actor award for his performance in The Spring of Seoul. He will be competing against fellow nominees Lee Sung Min (Handsome Guys), Lee Je Hoon (The Runaway), Choi Min Sik (Graveyard), and Hwang Jung Min (The Spring of Seoul).

The Spring of Seoul, which was released in November of last year, became a massive hit, drawing over 13 million viewers.

Jung Woo Sung, who portrayed Lee Tae Shin, the Capital Defense Command chief, made history as he became the first actor in his career to star in a 10-million-viewer film.

His performance was widely praised, and many consider him a strong contender for the Best Actor award.

As this marks Jung Woo Sung’s first public appearance since his personal scandal, fans and the media are closely watching his return to the spotlight.

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Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin’s When the Phone Rings has issued an apology for the recent controversy surrounding the mockery of sign language.

On November 29th, the drama’s production team released a statement on the viewer’s board addressing the issue. The statement began by saying, “We take the criticism about the improper handling of sign language very seriously, especially as it led to the mockery of the Deaf community and Korean sign language.”

They went on to clarify, “The drama’s theme centers around ‘communication’ between people, and there was absolutely no intention to mock or belittle sign language, which is a vital communication tool for the Deaf community.”

However, the production team admitted, “We humbly acknowledge that we did not give enough attention to the struggles of the Deaf community and the importance of Korean sign language. We will ensure that such mistakes do not happen again in the future.”

The statement also highlighted the role of sign language in the drama, saying, “Sign language plays a crucial part in the relationship between the two main characters as they learn to communicate with each other. Through their journey, we want to show the true value of sign language as an important tool that connects people.”

The production team concluded by asking for viewers' continued support, saying, “We hope you will keep watching the drama and point out any shortcomings you notice.”

Earlier, in the first episode of When the Phone Rings, which aired on November 22nd, a mistake occurred when sign language interpreter Hong Hee Joo (played by Chae Soo Bin) mistakenly used the sign for "mountain" while trying to interpret "landslide" due to a broadcast error.

This led to the sign being misunderstood as a finger gesture commonly seen as offensive, sparking backlash.

After the episode aired, a viewer posted a complaint on the viewer’s board, asking for an apology for mocking sign language.

The viewer explained that the sign for "mountain" is different from the offensive gesture and that using it in this context was hurtful to the Deaf community, as it has been used as a joke by hearing people.

The post described this as an act of discrimination and mockery, calling for a more respectful approach.

Source: [1]