EXO's D.O. Fined For Indoor Smoking, Public Health Center Issues Statement

EXO member D.O. has recently become embroiled in controversy due to a video showing him smoking, as a result, the singer was fined heavily. The issue came to light when the boy band shared a video on their official YouTube channel, highlighting their promotional activities for Cream Soda on MBC’s popular show, Music Core, in August. However, what captured everyone’s attention was an alleged scene in the clip that shows D.O. smoking inside MBC’s waiting area and one of the viewers filed a complaint against the artist. Amidst the growing controversy, South Korea’s Mapo Public Health Center has issued a statement addressing the situation.

As per Soompi, the health centre stated, “Article 9, Paragraph 4, Item 16 of the National Health Promotion Act designates office buildings, factories and multi-purpose buildings with a floor area of 1,000 square meters or more as entirely non-smoking areas. Violating this regulation can incur a fine of up to 100,000 won (approximately Rs 6,000).”

“Smoking inside the broadcasting company building constitutes a violation. Although [DO] and his agency have explained that he was using a nicotine free electronic cigarette, they were unable to provide evidence of the said product being nicotine free in the product’s ingredient description and instructions. Consequently, a fine was imposed. The individual involved has pledged to faithfully comply with the law as a public figure in the future,” they added.

Despite the ongoing controversy, EXO’s D.O. is moving ahead and has exciting news for his fans. He has announced the release of his second mini album titled Anticipation. This album comes after a two-year hiatus since his debut album Empathy was released in 2021. The upcoming album will consist of seven tracks, including I Do, which was already released earlier and is set to release in September. Meanwhile, the album’s title track, Somebody, will be released on September 18, along with the full album.

Other than his album, the South Korean singer is set to appear in the sci-fi movie The Moon, alongside a talented cast including Sol Kyung-gu, Park Byung-Eun, Jo Han-Chul, Kim Hee-ae and more.

In a recent interview, D.O. discussed his experience wearing a spacesuit for the space film. He mentioned that when he first put on the spacesuit, he found it to be incredibly heavy and there were a lot of restrictions. He also highlighted one of the major challenges he faced while wearing the suit, which was the difficulty in using the restroom. He humorously mentioned that he couldn’t even go to the restroom easily while in the spacesuit and it added to the overall discomfort, along with the heat inside the suit.

While the movie had its worldwide release on August 2, Indian audiences can look forward to watching the film on September 22.