On Wednesday (Jan 8), Park directly addressed the incident in an interview with South Korean media outlets – with many journalists reporting that he issued a “tearful apology”.
“I would like to apologise for causing discomfort and concern to many people due to my grave mistake. I deeply regret it and feel truly sorry. I am here today with a heavy and nervous heart because I am concerned that I may have caused harm to the countless individuals, including the production team, staff, and fellow actors, who worked hard on Squid Game 2,” said Park at the start of the apology.
Park proceeded to give his account of the events that transpired on Dec 30. He said that he had been rushing for an event when he received the image via a direct message on Instagram.
“At that time, it was the first week of the show’s release, and I was exchanging reactions from viewers with the agency staff. When I saw the image, I was so shocked and dumbfounded that I thought it could cause a serious issue. So, I saved the image to share it with the staff.”
Park also denied speculations that he had originally intended to upload the image on a private, secondary Instagram account.
“I don’t own any private accounts. I only have one [Instagram] account,” he clarified.
“Ultimately, it was my mistake that led to the post, and I fully acknowledge that wrong is wrong. Squid Game 2 has been receiving so much love, and I feel deeply sorry for causing controversy. I am acutely aware of the concern I caused to many people due to my actions. Over the past few days, I’ve been consumed with regret. Even at this very moment, I continue to reflect on my actions and the severity of the situation. I am committed to being more cautious in my words and actions moving forward to ensure I never repeat such a mistake, and to continue my career as a responsible actor.”
