KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — South Korean superstar Rain is being accused of neglecting Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) during a recent visit to his former school.
The 39-year-old singer and actor whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon dropped by Anyang Arts High School last week to shoot a segment for his YouTube channel Season B Season, Korean entertainment site Allkpop reported recently.
The Full House star is said to have arrived at the school in the afternoon and asked three students to join him on a school tour.
Rain’s visit caused students to throng into the school’s hallway to catch a glimpse of him, resulting in a futile attempt to enforce social distancing protocols.
It was reported that some 30 students flocked to the school’s narrow corridors during recess and some were even seen without a mask.
Students claimed teachers were not present in the area to ensure students observed physical distancing rules.
The South Korean government’s disease prevention department has banned external visits during regular school hours to curb the spread of the pandemic amid spiking cases.
Following the visit, Rain, who is married to actress Kim Tae-hee, is now facing criticism for flouting the SOP.
An Anyang Arts High School spokesperson responded to the visit which the school had approved, saying the singer handed out 1,000 new albums and that many students had asked Rain to visit them.
“Rain was responding to the students’ requests.
“We ensured that filming took place during lecture hours, and Rain was asked to wait in a quarantine room during break hours.
“The teachers also did their best to maintain all Covid-19 guidelines, consistently monitoring students and emphasising sanitation, but it seems there were a few instances in which we were not able to control the students,” the representative said.
South Korea recorded 500 new Covid-19 infections today.
