"A Man Chasing Me With a Kitchen Knife in Jeju" Idol's Story From Six Months Ago Resurfaces... "Police Said It Was a Common Occurrence"

[Financial News] As the case of a woman reported missing in Jeju Province recently became a social issue, a story involving singer Seong Hyun-woo is drawing renewed attention online.
In February, Seong Hyun-woo shared an episode from his trip to Jeju Island on his YouTube channel, saying, "I never talked about this on TV or radio. I was too scared that someone might see it and come looking for me. I think enough time has passed now to talk about it."
After his activities with the group LIMITLESS in 2021, he was preparing for a solo career and said he traveled alone to Jeju Island to find inspiration for a self-written song.
At the time, Seong stayed at a quiet guesthouse in Seongsan, and the terrifying incident happened when he went to a nearby noodle shop for dinner.
He explained, "A middle-aged man drinking alone was cursing at a foreign part-time worker," adding, "When I saw the worker looking at me for help, I said to the man, 'I'm a customer too. Can't I eat in peace?'" The situation then turned toward Seong Hyun-woo, and the disturbance reportedly ended only after the owner stepped in.
After finishing his meal and leaving the restaurant, Seong said, "Someone called out 'Hey' on a dark two-lane road with only one streetlight. When I walked over, it was the man from the restaurant." He added, "He looked to be in his 40s or 50s, and he was taller and more solidly built than me. He asked, 'Are you good at fighting?' and raised his right hand, but he was holding a large kitchen knife wrapped in a bandage around his arm," shocking listeners.
Sensing danger, Seong immediately started running toward his lodging, and the man reportedly chased after him at high speed.
Seong said, "All I could think was that if I didn't run now, I would die," and explained that he barely shook the man off by taking side streets before entering the guesthouse and calling the police.
Police who responded to the report arrested the man in a nearby alley. Seong, who had fled in extreme fear, recalled, "The moment I saw the police, I relaxed and started gagging."
He said that while writing his statement, one officer told him, "This is a common thing in Jeju Island. There are many seafarers, so there are a lot of people who threaten others with knives." The man was later reported to have been sentenced to prison months later on charges of special intimidation.
As the story resurfaced, online users reacted with comments such as, "How can it be common for an ordinary person to carry a knife? Was the police response really appropriate?" "It's scary just hearing about it," "The police response is absurd," and "I'm afraid to travel to Jeju Island."
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter