Singer Yoo Seung-jun (American name Steve Seung-jun Yoo) reflected on his past as he celebrated his 28th debut anniversary.
On the 1st, Yoo Seung-jun posted a lengthy message on his SNS, saying, "It has been 28 years. I regret that the time we spent together was too short. Maybe that's why it feels more special."
He reminisced, "I buried the past memories. Time has passed, and everything has become old. I still remember the day I boarded the flight to Korea with just a bag, stuffing the $400 my parents gave me deep into my pocket, thinking I would succeed. I really didn't know I would receive so much love. I also didn't know I would disappoint and hurt you all like this," he confessed.
He continued, "I was so young, fearless, and recklessly confident back then. I was really foolish. Looking back now," he expressed regret, "After just over 5 years of activity, I have been separated from you all for 23 years."
Yoo Seung-jun has applied for a visa to enter the country three times over the past 23 years, but all have been denied.
He said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't show you a better version of myself, and it's all my fault and my shortcomings that created a reality where I can't even confidently say I'm a fan of Yoo Seung-jun. I'm really sorry. I feel like I've only given you regret and disappointment," but he also shared, "Yet, when I think of those times, I can't help but smile. Why is that?" expressing his deep longing for his fans and the stage.
He added, "Time has passed, and both you and I have changed. No one can overcome time. I don't just hold on to the memories that felt like a dream we shared," but he also said, "However, erasing those beautiful memories is really hard. No, I can't erase them, and I don't want to."
Yoo Seung-jun expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you. Because of you who taught me so much and gave me overwhelming love and encouragement, I am still living as Yoo Seung-jun today," and promised, "I don't know what the future holds. Just like we didn't know we would be apart for so long. But I will not give up, and no matter what anyone says, I will live as the beautiful person you remember."
Yoo Seung-jun renounced his Korean citizenship before his enlistment in 2002 and has not set foot on Korean soil for 23 years due to the military evasion controversy.
He applied for an overseas Korean visa (F-4) in 2015 but was denied. He won a final ruling in an administrative lawsuit at the Supreme Court. However, the LA Consulate General again denied the visa issuance. He filed a second lawsuit in 2020 and won again at the Supreme Court last November, but the visa issuance was still denied. Yoo Seung-jun is currently in the process of a third administrative lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice, seeking to invalidate the entry ban.
