DistantNews
Support us
Singer Kang Won-rae shares friend's 'unlucky' remark about wheelchairs
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Singer Kang Won-rae shares friend's 'unlucky' remark about wheelchairs

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Singer Kang Won-rae shared a frustrating experience where a friend discouraged him from using a wheelchair, despite his paralysis.
  • Kang advised his injured acquaintance to use a wheelchair for easier rehabilitation, but another friend warned against it, fearing it would lead to lifelong dependency.
  • The incident sparked online criticism of societal negative perceptions towards disabilities and assistive devices.

Singer Kang Won-rae, a member of the duo Clon, expressed his dismay after a friend discouraged him from recommending a wheelchair to an injured acquaintance. Kang recounted an incident where he saw a friend with a severely injured leg struggling to walk.

Don't say such unlucky things.

— FriendA friend warned Kang Won-rae against suggesting a wheelchair to an injured acquaintance.

Kang suggested that for someone in his friend's condition, using a wheelchair temporarily would be less strenuous on the body and allow for rehabilitation exercises like swimming. However, another friend present interjected, warning Kang not to speak such "unlucky" words, fearing it might lead to lifelong wheelchair use.

If you say that, what if you end up using a wheelchair your whole life?

— FriendA friend expressed concern about the potential long-term consequences of using a wheelchair.

Kang, who has used a wheelchair since a 2000 motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, shared the exchange on Instagram. The incident drew widespread criticism online, with netizens calling the friend's remark rude and thoughtless. Many expressed sadness over society's negative view of disabilities and assistive devices, noting that such misfortunes can happen to anyone.

That's right. I'm sorry.

— Kang Won-raeKang Won-rae apologized after his friend's warning.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog