Rapper Young Hongwon faces image damage due to butt exposure incident.

[Star Daily News=Reporter Seo Taeyang] Rapper Yang Hong-won gained significant attention by winning the first season of Mnet’s ‘High School Rapper’ in 2017.

Amid fierce competition among teenage rappers, Yang stood out with his exceptional rap skills and confident demeanor, gaining many fans and emerging as a promising new figure in the hip-hop scene. He later signed with Indigo Music and began his official music career. However, instead of focusing on musical growth, he has been more frequently in the spotlight for ongoing controversies and has faced public criticism.

One of the biggest controversies surrounding Yang Hong-won involves past school violence allegations. During the 2017 broadcast of ‘High School Rapper’, online communities claimed that Yang was a perpetrator of school violence during his middle school years. Netizens alleging to have been victims revealed, “Yang committed violent acts towards his friends during his schooling days and bullied them in groups.” As the controversy grew, Yang acknowledged and apologized, expressing his regrets by stating, “I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt by my immature actions during my childhood.” However, some of the public continued to criticize him, saying, “Isn’t he just trying to evade responsibility with mere explanations and apologies?” As a result, an increasing number of people started looking at his activities unfavorably.