Shinhwa’s Kim Dong-wan closes SNS after prostitution remarks

Feb 20, 2026, 06:09 pm

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Screenshots of posts from Kim Dong-wan’s Instagram and Threads accounts circulate online amid controversy. / Graphic by Park Jong-gyu

Kim Dong-wan, a member of veteran K-pop group Shinhwa, is facing online backlash after expressing support for the legalization of prostitution on social media. He has since closed his Threads account.

In a recent post on Threads, Kim wrote, “While trying to eliminate entertainment districts, the whole country is becoming one,” adding that he could not help but question the presence of such establishments near churches, schools and police substations.

He further argued that prostitution should be “acknowledged and managed,” saying, “As long as the reality of increasing single-person households is left unaddressed, we cannot simply sweep this issue under the rug.”

In response to a user who commented, “I have mixed feelings about this issue. I wish taxes were collected, but I’m not sure legalization is right,” Kim replied that he supports legalization because “there are people who cannot do it without paying,” adding that it could also be justified from a disease control perspective.

He also responded to another user advocating for a state-regulated red-light district system, asking them to summarize the proposal in four lines.

The remarks quickly spread across online communities, drawing both criticism and debate. Shortly afterward, Kim closed his Threads account, though screenshots of his posts continue to circulate online.

#Kim Dong-wan #Shinhwa #prostitution legalization