Kim Dong-wan defends YouTuber Park Wi amid KTX CCTV footage controversy

Kim Dong-wan (46), a member of Shinhwa and an actor, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding YouTuber Park Wi (39) and his decision to post CCTV footage of a wheelchair fall he suffered while disembarking from a KTX train.

Kim took to social media Saturday to argue that the situation should be viewed from the perspective of Park, who has a disability.

"This is his first time living with a disability. He would have had no choice but to see everything through that lens," Kim wrote. "What was said in that moment gives those of us without disabilities something worth thinking about."

He added that he did not know all the details behind the incident, but noted that "the time it takes for an ordinary person to end up in the news has become far too short."

Kim also pushed back against what he described as excessive criticism directed at Park. "What is it that has humiliated him so? What is it that put him in the news?" he wrote.

Earlier, Park posted the CCTV footage Friday on his YouTube channel "Wiraacle," citing the need to prevent safety accidents and improve accessibility conditions. The clip showed Park's wheelchair wheel catching on a community service worker's foot as he descended a boarding ramp while disembarking, causing him to fall.

After the worker apologized at the scene, criticism emerged that making the footage public — which captured an honest mistake — was excessive.

As the backlash grew, Park deleted the video and issued an apology. "I viewed the mistake that occurred while someone was trying to help me in too negative a light," he said. "I failed to consider the worker's position, and the way I handled this was immature."