Gil's Controversial Comments Spark Backlash Over Exclusion from Infinite Challenge Anniversary Calendar

Gil, a former member of the hip-hop duo Leessang, has drawn criticism for his recent comments regarding his exclusion from the 20th anniversary calendar of MBC's Infinite Challenge (무한도전). On December 23, he engaged with fans on his personal social media account during a 'Ask Me Anything' session. When fans expressed their curiosity about his absence from the calendar, Gil posted a meme featuring Park Myung-soo with captions like "Include me too!" and "I want to participate!" showing his lingering attachment to the show.

MBC released the 2025 calendar celebrating the 20th anniversary of Infinite Challenge, featuring messages from long-time cast members like Yoo Jae-suk, Park Myung-soo, Ha Ha, and Jung Jun-ha, as well as former members like Jung Hyung-don and Noh Hong-chul. However, Gil was notably absent due to his past controversies involving drunk driving.

Gil joined Infinite Challenge in May 2009 but was forced to leave in 2014 after his second drunk driving incident led to the revocation of his driver's license. This incident also resulted in the cancellation of the follow-up episode of the show he had already filmed, causing significant disruption. Although he made a comeback in 2015 with a mini-album after a year-long hiatus, the negative impact of his actions on Infinite Challenge remains a stain on his career. Despite this, his recent comments about the anniversary calendar have continued to attract criticism.

In addition to his second drunk driving incident, Gil has faced legal issues for drunk driving in 2004 and 2017. His promise to prevent future incidents after his second offense, followed by his failure to uphold that commitment, has intensified public backlash against him. After spending over three years in self-reflection, he returned to the entertainment scene in 2020 with the show Icon Contact (아이콘택트). Last year, he contributed to the song "Leave It Alone" (냅두세요) by KISUM, signaling his return to music, and he has recently announced a new comeback.