"'1 Billion Won in Overseas Gambling' BJ Cheolgu Gets 7.1 Million Won in Donations During Comeback Broadcast... 'You Don't Have to Send Star Balloons'"

Vows to "diligently repay his debts"

Popular internet streamer BJ Cheolgu, 36, whose real name is Lee Yejun, returned to broadcasting after three months and received more than 7 million won in donations. He had been sued for failing to repay 6 billion won to acquaintances after gambling large sums on trips abroad.

Internet streamer BJ Cheolgu. Screenshot from a SOOP broadcast.

On October 23, Cheolgu hosted a comeback broadcast on the internet streaming platform SOOP, formerly AfreecaTV. It was his first broadcast in three months since he admitted in July 2026 to gambling large sums on trips abroad and using illegal private loans. At the start of the broadcast, Cheolgu smiled and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry." He said, "You don't have to send me Star Balloons," but viewers showed their support by donating. According to Pung Today, a website that tracks internet broadcast earnings, Cheolgu received about 7.1 million won in Star Balloon donations that day.

During the broadcast, Cheolgu discussed his debts and said he would repay them faithfully. However, regarding his dispute with BJ K, whose real name is Park Junggyu, who accused him of fraud, he said, "K and I have different views on this," and added, "We're working it out at the police station. There hasn't been an answer yet." He also said, "I'll repay what is accepted," adding, "I'm definitely going to pay it back, so there's no need to worry." Cheolgu also said that he had filed a complaint against someone, adding, "I won't say who, but there's someone I paid 3.5 billion won in interest over three years." He went on to say he would not discuss debt-related matters on future broadcasts and would handle them privately.

Most viewers welcomed Cheolgu's return, but some criticized it as premature, given that he had yet to finish compensating those harmed by his debts.

Earlier, on July 28, 2026, Cheolgu admitted during a broadcast that he had gambled on trips abroad and said he intended to turn himself in. "I've been gambling in the Philippines since 2024," he said during the broadcast. "I spent more than 1 billion won gambling in one week." In August 2026, The K Entertainment, represented by BJ Jjapgu, whose real name is Jung Geonwoo, and K, filed a fraud complaint against Cheolgu. The two reportedly lent him 3.7 billion won and 2.295 billion won, respectively.

Cheolgu is a former professional gamer who began working as an internet broadcaster after retiring in 2008.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.