Former Korean girl group member KARA’s Park Gyuri has apologised for going clubbing after footage of her partying at an Itaewon club went viral online. What was especially controversial about Gyuri's actions was that the 31-year-old was seen on social media advocating the importance of social distancing measures which were set to be eased four days after her visit to the club on May 1.

What made matters worse is that the COVID-19 carrier, who has been linked to Korea's second wave of infections, had visited five Itaewon clubs and bars on the same night, and one of the clubs was the one Gyuri was at.

On May 11, Gyuri issued this apology: “I have deeply reflected on my actions and I apologise for not following guidelines that everyone should be adhering to during social distancing, regardless of [whatever] reasons [I had]. I wore a mask from the moment I went into [the club] until I left. I went to get tested on the day the article about the confirmed case was released, and I'm currently in self-isolation although I have tested negative [for COVID-19].”

Her agency further emphasised that Gyuri had kept her mask on the whole time she was at the club, save for “approximately 20 seconds”, although they did not specify when or why she removed her mask.

The cluster related to Itaewon has grown to 94 at press time. The carrier, who is now dubbed a super spreader, only tested positive for the virus on May 6, and was asymptomatic when he went club-hopping. South Korean authorities are still trying to test more than 5,000 people who were potentially exposed to the virus.

In related news, boy group WINNER’s Song Mino also drew flak for performing at a club in the Gangwon province, which is about two hours away from Seoul, on May 3. His agency has since apologised for “causing concern”, adding that they would ask Mino to “carefully follow personal hygiene and social distancing rules”.

Netizens have not taken kindly to the two idols partying it up while the country is still fighting COVID-19. “Going to the club at a time like this is not normal. [Song Mino] should be tested for drugs,” seethed one netizen. Another added, “Just because we have had zero cases for a few days doesn’t mean that you idiots are allowed to go out and drink. This is gross.”

Gyuri’s apology has also been criticised, with many calling her out for trying to do damage control rather than tell the truth. “As if we’d believe that she never took her mask off. How else are you supposed to eat and drink?” one wondered. Someone else chimed in, “The issue isn’t about whether she was wearing a mask or not. Why she was even at a club at a time like this?!”

Photos: Dispatch, PBE Media, Park Gyuri's Instagram