"Swimming and Parenting" Osangjin, Controversy Over Swimming Pool Verification Photo

Broadcaster Oh Sang-jin / Photo by IOK Company

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] As the government emphasizes 'social distancing' to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), broadcaster Oh Sang-jin (40) sparked controversy by posting photos of himself visiting a swimming pool.

On the 26th, Oh Sang-jin posted on his social network service (SNS) a photo of an empty swimming pool with the caption "Swimming alone." He added baby bottle and baby emojis, which were interpreted as indicating he was going to take care of his child after swimming more laps, saying, "Let's do twenty more laps back and forth and then go (to childcare)."

Netizens criticized Oh Sang-jin for "being careless in visiting a sports facility like a swimming pool." Following the controversy, Oh Sang-jin deleted the post.

Previously, Oh Sang-jin had also caused controversy in 2017 when he posted photos of a trip to Japan on Liberation Day on SNS.

Instagram post by Oh Sang-jin on the 26th. Due to this post, Oh Sang-jin is being criticized for not adhering to 'social distancing.' Photo by Oh Sang-jin Instagram

Meanwhile, other figures such as broadcaster Park Ji-yoon and KBS announcer Choi Dong-seok, singer Gahee, and businessman Ko Ji-yong, formerly of the group Sechs Kies, also sparked controversy by sharing outing photos on SNS that went against 'social distancing' guidelines.

Park Ji-yoon posted photos on the 25th of last month showing her family hiking and visiting a condo, which led to criticism. Park Ji-yoon’s legal representative stated, "It is true that on March 21, her birthday, she went hiking with her family and then visited a condo. Although it was a private account, it is right to be criticized as it is not a good example for many people practicing social distancing."

Last month, singer Gahee, formerly of the idol group After School, posted photos of herself and her children at the beach during self-quarantine, which sparked controversy. On the 14th, Gahee expressed on her SNS, "I sincerely apologize to everyone who was inconvenienced because of me. And I deeply bow in gratitude to everyone who comforted me."

Additionally, Ko Ji-yong posted on his Instagram on the 9th, "A weekend outing to the Han River after a long time. Everyone, stay strong. This annoying virus," along with photos of his outing to the Han River. After the controversy, Ko Ji-yong deleted the photos.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.