S'pore TV host Dasmond Koh in Seoul: 'I'm seeing news about people throwing tear gas grenades'
Jan Lee
The Straits Times
Dec 4, 2024
Singaporean television host Dasmond Koh was caught up in unexpected political drama while in Seoul for work with NoonTalk Media artistes Kevin Tan and Yang Yan recently.
The 52-year-old co-founder of the entertainment agency was surprised by the sudden declaration of emergency martial law in South Korea by President Yoon Suk-yeol on the night of Dec 3.
Martial law was lifted in the early hours of Dec 4, after South Korean lawmakers voted to revoke it.
Koh spoke to Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on Dec 3, soon after the declaration. He said he was having a meal with some people after work when his South Korean friends started talking among themselves with serious looks.
午言媒体创办人许振荣和旗下两名生力军杨言和陈业文到首尔出差，不料遇到韩国自1980年来第一次全国戒严。三人在首尔时间12月4日零时40分（首尔比新加坡快一小时）接受《联合早报》电访时说，3日晚本来开开心心聚会庆祝收工，想不到欢腾的气氛突然变调。＃许振荣
Posted by Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 on Tuesday 3 December 2024
"One of them said the President had just declared martial law on television," he recalled. As the news came abruptly, most South Koreans - including his friends - were confused and worried that the country might have suffered a military attack.
For safety's sake, they ended their meal early and Koh went back to his hotel. On the way back, he received eight to nine messages from loved ones and acquaintances asking if he was safe.
Though he cannot understand Korean, the former deejay switched on the news to keep abreast of updates and even gave Zaobao updates over the phone. He said: "I'm seeing news about people throwing tear gas grenades to scatter the crowd. It seems like there is plenty of commotion going on."
There were protests in Seoul on Dec 4 to demand the revocation of martial law and the stepping down of President Yoon.
Singapore-based Malaysian actor Tan, 22, was detained at the airport in Beijing on Nov 26 and had to pay a fine after he accidentally overstayed in China.
He told Zaobao: "It seems like something happens every time I'm overseas. Maybe I need to go and pray at a temple when I'm back."
Yang, 23, who up till recently had been in South Korea filming the iQiyi idol survival programme Starlight Boys. He said he received a text from his mother telling him to return home quickly.
The Singaporean, who was eliminated in the fifth episode, said he saw how solemn his South Korean friends looked after the declaration. He was glad that Koh was also on the trip, as it made him feel safe.
Koh, Tan and Yang are scheduled to depart Seoul on Dec 5.
