U.S. singer Steve Seung-jun Yoo (Steve Yoo) has opened up about the draft-dodging controversy that has followed him for over two decades and his ban on entering Korea—strongly hinting he may be letting go of any plans to come back.
On June 4, Steve uploaded a new video on his YouTube channel. In it, he once again stressed his deep love for Korea while also revealing the exhaustion he feels after years of public controversy and legal battles.
“Korea is where I was born and the home of my heart,” Steve said. “The longer I live abroad, the more I miss Korea.” He continued, “I didn’t go to the U.S. to settle there. I immigrated with my family in 1989 when I was 13,” recalling, “I followed my father to the U.S., and adapting to a new environment wasn’t easy.” He added, “Even before my debut, my first tattoo read ‘Korean Pride,’” explaining, “That’s how strong my pride and affection for Korea were. The reason I wanted to succeed in Korea was because my roots are there.”
However, regarding the years-long entry controversy, Steve admitted, “At this point, I don’t think going back to Korea holds much meaning.” He added, “I’ve explained my side and apologized. I shared, as sincerely as I could, why I made that decision and what the situation was at the time,” before noting, “But it seems my true feelings still didn’t get across.” He lamented, “No matter how much I explain, all that remains is the military issue and the past controversy,” adding, “People don’t care about the process and background behind my choice—only the outcome and the criticism.”
Steve also pushed back against various rumors surrounding him. “Some say I’m trying to enter Korea because of tax issues, but that’s not true,” he said. “I’m covering all the double taxation as well.” He went on, “I’ve done enough. I’m okay now,” making it clear, “I don’t want to obsess over or cling to getting into Korea.”
After releasing the video, Steve left additional remarks in a pinned comment. “This will probably be the last video like this,” he wrote. “I don’t want to spend any more time or passion explaining, clarifying, or defending myself.”
Steve debuted in 1997 and quickly rose to stardom with multiple hit songs. In 2002, however, he obtained U.S. citizenship just before his scheduled enlistment, igniting a major draft-dodging controversy and resulting in a ban on entering Korea. He has since pursued multiple legal actions to obtain an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa. Although he won consecutive Supreme Court rulings in 2020 and 2023, the Consulate General in Los Angeles again refused to issue the visa, and the legal battle continues.