SHINee’s Onew investigated for sexual harassment
SEOUL: SHINee member Onew is still under police investigation although the sexual harassment charges against him have been dropped.
The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul said they’ve booked Onew, whose birth name is Lee Jin-ki, without physical detention for allegedly sexually harassing a woman.
According to reports, Onew, 27, has been accused of inappropriately grabbing a woman at a popular night club in Gangnam on Aug 12. The woman A, who’s said to be in her twenties, was dancing when she felt a hand touch her. She stated she ignored the first incident, but when it happened again, she asked another club- goer if he saw what happened.
The witness then claimed he saw the SHINee member touching her, and they decided to file a police report.
At 7: 20 AM the same day, police arrived at the scene, and Onew was reported to have been interviewed by police for 5 hours along with A and the witness. Onew reportedly told the police that he has no recollection of the alleged incident because he was too intoxicated.
S.M. Entertainment, SHINee’s agency, issued a statement to apologise for Onew’s actions but said the incident stemmed from “a misunderstanding”.
“Onew visited the club to congratulate a friend on becoming a DJ, and while he was dancing drunk, he made accidental physical contact with a person near him,” the company said.
“The person acknowledged that an incident like that could happen under the influence of alcohol and dropped charges against Onew. He will cooperate with the police investigation.”