Former athletes Lee Hyung-taek and Lee Dae-hoon were identified as the subjects of a 2024 Gangnam assault case, with reports clarifying the incident involved a misinterpreted fall during heavy drinking rather than a physical fight.
The 2024 incident in Gangnam, Seoul, involving former national tennis player Lee Hyung-taek and former taekwondo athlete Lee Dae-hoon, has been clarified after years of speculation. A video by Kim Gura, published on September 14, 2026, detailed how the two athletes, after drinking heavily, stumbled while attempting to hail a taxi. A bystander misinterpreted the scene as a fight, leading to a police investigation.
The Misunderstood Incident
He explained that Lee Hyung-taek and Lee Dae-hoon had been drinking together when they became entangled and fell while trying to hail a taxi.
A passerby, witnessing the stumble, reported it as an assault. They were just standing still,
Gura said, citing Hyung-taek’s account on MBC’s Radio Star. Both were heavily intoxicated, and someone saw them stumbling while trying to hail a taxi.
That’s how the incident was misinterpreted as a fight.
The police investigation, initiated in 2024, focused on Lee Dae-hoon, a former taekwondo national team member, and Lee Hyung-taek, a former tennis player. At the time, their identities were not disclosed, but Kim Gura’s remarks confirmed their involvement. Even 20 years ago, when celebrities were in the waiting room during filming, they would share everything that happened the day before,
Gura noted. But now, no one talks about themselves in waiting rooms. If you do, it’s too easy for rumors to spread through word of mouth.
Police Response and Legal Context
Gossip and Celebrity Culture
Kim Gura’s analysis highlighted broader trends in celebrity culture. Even just 20 years ago, when people gathered in waiting rooms, they would talk about everything that happened the day before,
he said. But nowadays, no one shares personal stories in waiting rooms. If you do, it’s too easy for rumors to spread through word of mouth.
This dynamic, he argued, contributed to the misinterpretation of the Gangnam incident. This kind of conversation creates a structure where it’s too easy for rumors to spread across the board,
Gura added.
The case also reflected shifting attitudes among celebrities. Even 20 years ago, when entertainers gathered in the waiting room, they would talk about everything that had happened the day before—who met whom and so on. It wasn’t anything special,
Gura said. But nowadays, no one talks about themselves in the waiting room.
This contrast, he suggested, underscored how private stories could be distorted in the digital age.
The full details of the incident will be revealed on the September 16 broadcast of MBC’s Radio Star, where Lee Hyung-taek is expected to address the controversy directly. Kim Gura’s video, which has since gone viral, has reignited discussions about how public perception can shape factual narratives.