Comedian Yoon Hyung Bin‘s aspiration to become “the next Bang Si Hyuk“ in the K-Pop business is opening new doors for former WINNER member Nam Taehyun, disgraced for his drug use and other scandals involving his ex-girlfriend and influencer Seo Eun Woo (formerly Seo Min Jae).
On April 23, 2025 (KST), Yoon and other stars appeared at a press conference held to promote his upcoming event, “K-Pop Week In Hongdae.” There, Yoon told the media outlets that he has been producing K-Pop idols for five years and that he wants to turn Hongdae (a popular area in Seoul) into a “K-Pop mecca.”
I am a comedian, but I also dream of becoming the next Bang Si Hyuk. I’ve been producing K-Pop idols for five years now. One thing I really wanted to do during the production process was to turn Hongdae into a K-Pop mecca. I was inspired by Shin-Okubo’s K-Pop town in Japan. There are many active K-Pop live theaters there, which made me wonder, ‘Shouldn’t Korea—the birthplace of K-Pop—also have spaces like this too?’ I kept thinking, ‘Why do idols need to go all the way to Japan to perform?’ I figured Hongdae would be the perfect place to bring this vision to life.
— Yoon Hyung Bin
It was also noted that Yoon had planned the event to take place before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After having been postponed so long, “K-Pop Week In Hongdae” is set to happen in May 2025. A total of 12 teams are performing, including idols like Lun8, MBLAQ’s Yang Seungho, Teen Top’s Chunji, CLC’s Yeeun, and the controversial Nam Taehyun.
It’s a big decision for idols to perform in small venues. It’s not an easy thing. The artists participating are those who genuinely want to communicate with fans up close…K-Pop is such a diverse genre. I wanted artists who could truly showcase that diversity and who could engage closely with audiences in Hongdae. We looked at a long list of performers and invited those with unique colors. In Japan, there are venues of various sizes—100 seats, 500 seats—that are well-established. Artists can perform anytime, and fans can easily watch them. That’s the kind of venue I want to create. We’re currently renovating the ‘Yoon Hyung Bin Small Theater’ into a new K-Pop stage.
— Yoon Hyung Bin
The inclusion of Nam Taehyun—who received a one-year suspended sentence in January 2024 for drug charges—sparked mixed reactions. Yoon addressed the issue and ultimately defended the criminal idol saying, “He’s been doing a lot of good deeds recently, and online sentiment was more positive than I expected.”
Nam Tae Hyun Posts Message Promising To Return With Music After Receiving Suspended Sentence For Drug Use
I understand how sensitive the matter is. But I did some research and saw that he’s been doing a lot of good deeds recently, and online sentiment was more positive than I expected. When I met with him personally, I could tell he was truly remorseful and wanted to perform again. I wanted to give him a chance. He was concerned that his participation might make others uncomfortable, but I felt he should at least greet his remaining fans. That’s why I proposed a small-scale performance, and that’s how it came together.
— Yoon Hyung Bin
Nam Taehyun has also taken to his Instagram to announce his return to stage.
Read more about Nam Taehyun’s ex-girlfriend accusing him of revenge porn and what the idol had to say about it:
Former Idol Nam Taehyun Responds To Revenge Porn Accusations From Ex Girlfriend