"Misconduct as a Public Figure" Lai Kuanlin Apologizes for Street Smoking Controversy

Singer Lai Kuan-lin, former member of the group Wanna One / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Lai Kuan-lin, a singer and former member of the group Wanna One, who recently sparked controversy after being caught smoking on the street, has issued an apology.

On the 24th, Lai Kuan-lin posted on his Weibo, "As a public figure, I showed inappropriate behavior," and apologized, saying, "I accept your criticism and will make sure it does not happen again."

Earlier, photos showing Lai Kuan-lin smoking and spitting on the street were released on social media platforms such as Weibo, triggering controversy.

As the photos reached number one on Weibo's real-time search rankings and the controversy spread further, Chinese netizens criticized Lai Kuan-lin's attitude and raised their voices of disapproval.

Meanwhile, Lai Kuan-lin debuted as a member of the project group Wanna One after appearing on Mnet's audition program "Produce 101 Season 2" in 2017.

Later, in July of last year, Lai Kuan-lin filed an injunction to suspend the validity of his exclusive contract against his agency Cube Entertainment, but the court dismissed his injunction request. Lai Kuan-lin is currently active independently in China.

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