Singer Kim Jae-joong says hackers broke into his Kakao Pay account

Singer Kim Jae-joong said he was the victim of a hacking incident involving his financial information, resulting in unauthorized changes to his Kakao Pay account.

 
On May 7, the 39-year-old artist wrote on the fan communication platform Fromm that his Kakao Pay account had been hacked and his password was changed without his knowledge.

“When I contacted the customer center, they redirected me to the securities help desk, which then transferred me to the security and incident center,” Kim wrote. “I spent nearly an hour on the phone, but nothing was resolved, and I had to hang up because of work.”

 
He said he was told that the account could not be deleted without knowing the password. “How am I supposed to know the password if it was changed by the hacker?” Kim asked. “Do they expect me to know the password the hacker set?”

 
He said he was offered a connection to another counselor, only to find out it was the same department he had initially contacted. “I was mentally crushed,” he wrote, adding, “I know the counselors are working hard, but the response was too inadequate.”

Two days later, Kim said he was finally able to cancel and delete the account after a day and a half of effort. “It was truly a frightening experience,” he said.

 
Kim also recently denied rumors that his net worth exceeds 1 trillion won ($700 million).

 
"I can't make that much and it just doesn't work like that," he said in a YouTube appearance.

 
"People even included the list of all the cars I’ve driven over the past 20 years in the calculation. Real estate holdings change, and cars are bought and sold. If you include everything like that, maybe it adds up to 1 trillion won, but it’s simply not feasible, and the system doesn’t work that way.”

 
Kim previously revealed that he has used a "black credit card" for about 12 years — a card issued only to the top 0.05 percent of VIPs in Korea — adding to public perception of his wealth.

Source : https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-12/national/socialAffairs/Singer-Kim-Jaejoong-says-hackers-broke-into-his-Kakao-Pay-account/2305443

Comprehension

What happened to Kim Jae-joong’s Kakao Pay account?
On which date did he reveal the incident to fans?
How was the password for the account changed?
Why couldn’t Kim delete the Kakao Pay account at first?
How long did he spend on the phone during his first attempt to resolve the issue?
What departments did Kim contact during his support call?
What was Kim’s emotional response to the customer service experience?
How long did it take for him to finally cancel and delete the account?
What rumor did Kim recently deny?
What kind of credit card has Kim reportedly used for 12 years?

Discussion

How would you feel if your financial account was hacked and support didn’t help right away?
Should companies allow account deletion even if the password is lost due to hacking? Why or why not?
Do you think Kakao Pay handled the situation well? Why or why not?
Why might celebrities like Kim Jae-joong be targeted by hackers?
How can people protect their financial information online?
Why do you think rumors about celebrity wealth spread so easily?
What does Kim’s story say about how wealth is judged in public opinion?
Is it fair for the public to estimate someone’s net worth based on possessions like cars or houses?
How important is cybersecurity for public figures today?
What steps should companies take to better support customers after cyberattacks?

Vocabulary

Hacked – Illegally accessed by someone else.
Unauthorized – Not allowed or approved.
Password – A secret code used to access an account.
Customer center – A department that helps users with problems.
Redirected – Sent or transferred to another department or place.
Mentally crushed – Emotionally overwhelmed or exhausted.
Inadequate – Not good enough or lacking quality.
Canceled – Stopped or ended officially.
Net worth – The total value of someone's money and property.
Feasible – Possible or realistic.