Former KARA Member Park Gyuri Admits To + Apologizes For Visiting Club Linked To COVID-19 Resurgence In South Korea

Former KARA member Park Gyuri is currently in self-isolation after visiting a club in the neighborhood of Itaewon in Seoul that is linked to the multiple COVID-19 cases that emerged in South Korea over the last few days. Prior to the cases related to the club, South Korea’s new confirmed cases per day had been at one-digit numbers for several days.

On May 11, a media outlet quoted an informant who stated that Park Gyuri visited the club on the same day as the initial confirmed patient and danced without a face mask on.

After checking with Park Gyuri, her agency Creative Kkot admitted that she did visit the club in question. Her agent released a statement that reads as follows:

Hello, this is Park Gyuri’s agent.

Once again, I’d like to apologize for causing everyone concern.

Park Gyuri is deeply reflecting [her actions] and once again apologizes. She was wearing a mask from the time of entry to the time of departure, and when the article about the confirmed case was released, she voluntarily visited the screening center before receiving a call from the district office and was immediately examined. She is currently in self-isolation after testing negative [for the virus].

Park Gyuri also posted an official apology that reads as follows:

Hello, this is Park Gyuri.

Regardless of all the reasons, I would like to deeply reflect and apologize for not following the guidelines that everyone should follow during the period of social distancing.

I wore a mask from the moment I entered [the club] and kept it on until I left. On the day the article about the confirmed case came out, I immediately went to get examined, and I tested negative [for the virus]. I am currently in self-isolation. Once again, I apologize.

Soon after Park Gyuri’s and her agency’s statements were released, the agency corrected their initial statement to state that Park Gyuri had taken her face mask off for approximately 20 seconds inside the club but had it on at all times besides the short moment.

Park Gyuri debuted in 2007 as the leader of KARA. After KARA’s disbandment in 2016, she started a new career as an actress. In October of last year, it was confirmed that she was in a relationship with the eldest grandson of the Dongwon Construction Industry family.

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