“Pachinko” Jin Ha Issues Official Apology For Past Hidden Camera Controversy

AppleTV‘s new original, Pachinko, dropped recently and was met with great praise.

Not a few days into release, one of its stars, Jin Ha, fell into controversy. On March 25, 2022, he was accused of taking hidden camera photos of elderly women. According to news outlet Herald Kyungje, he had taken about 100 pictures of elderly women in subways and public locations in South Korea. The images were taken between July 2010 and September 2011 and uploaded onto his blog under an album titled “Flowers In Bloom.” He had used sexually harassing captions such as, “Now we have an excuse to stare directly at her right nipple” and other derogatory captions.

On March 26, 2022, he made an official apology.

Hello. Thank you for giving me the chance to speak about my mistake. Everyone was right to have criticized me. The Tumblr I had from 2011, Korean Flowers In Bloom, should have never been made in the first place. It was an invasion of privacy to all the women that appeared in the blog, and the captions I had added were also inappropriate. I am regretful about my actions and sincerely apologize.

I was wrong for having taken such photos before 2011 and having uploaded them online. It was also wrong of me to have left the blog up for years without considering the negative impact it would have. Since there were requests for me to delete the blog, I have done so. The account Korean Flowers In Bloom no longer exists.

Once more, I apologize to the women in the photos I took. I also apologize to those that felt discomfort at my blog. I am thankful to the viewers, who are wiser than me, that have criticized me for my lack of foresight. Thank you once more for giving me the chance to correct my mistake.

Although I should have been good from the start, thank you for letting me realize the error of my ways, although it is a little late. I will make consistent efforts to study so that such mistakes will not repeat.

Sincerely,

Jin Ha.

—Jin Ha

Jin Ha’s blog has since been deleted. Pachinko continues its rounds of press and promotion, but it is unsure if Jin Ha will be participating.