On January 8, Park Sung Hoon publicly faced the controversy stemming from the accidental posting of an adult image.

During an interview about the new season of the Netflix original series 'Squid Game' at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul, Park Sung Hoon apologized, saying, " I sincerely apologize for the discomfort and worry my mistake has caused many people ." He added, " This interview is especially close to my heart because I am very worried that this matter could overshadow or in any way harm the hard work of our production team and actors. "

Park Sung Hoon took the time to explain how he accidentally posted the explicit photo, mentioning a message exchange about viewer reactions right after a project launch, and a mishandling that led to the image being posted on his personal story.

" After posting, I was so panicked that I immediately called the person in charge and discussed the seriousness of the situation. I deleted the photo immediately, and of course, I didn't watch the video ," he said.

Visibly moved, he added: " It was a mistake on my part, but I firmly believe that a mistake is still a mistake. I am aware that I have caused concern to many and I feel overwhelmed with remorse and regret. I continue to reflect on my actions, even now ," before bowing in apology.

He concluded by emphasizing: " I understand the gravity of the situation and in the future, I will bear a heavy responsibility to prevent this from happening again. I will be careful with my words and actions and will continue my career with prudence and integrity ."

Korean netizens mostly defended the actor, with some commenting on the public's harsh reaction and others calling for more tolerance for human error.

" Can't a person watch adult videos? We tear him apart as if he had committed a serious crime. "

" It seems like a mistake, but it's unfortunate that our society has lost its ability to forgive mistakes. It's not like he drove drunk or committed a serious crime, right? Mistakes should serve as a lesson... "

" Come on... It's not like we're living in the Joseon era... "

" Do we really have to go that far? lol "

" It could happen to anyone. "

" He said it was a mistake... Stop now. "

" People are making a big deal out of nothing. "

" Whether it involves manipulation or not, this reaction seems exaggerated. "

" I'm a woman and I think this might just be a fun episode. Why is the media tearing it apart like they're hunting a rat? "

" Okay, did he commit a crime? lol "

" Sure, there may be a copyright issue, but it wasn't illegal hidden camera footage or deepfake videos. If it's just a mistake, it should go unnoticed. It's not like he shared a link on purpose. "

" Can't we just laugh about it? It's not like he committed a crime. "