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Several news agencies in South Korea recently reported that Golden Child member TAG is currently hospitalized due to acute liver failure.
While fans of the idol and the group were concerned, the group's agency, Woollim Entertainment, allayed some of the fears, stating that the idol is not in critical condition.
Woollim Entertainment issues statement regarding Golden Child TAG's health
On May 18, South Korean news agency Kukmin Ilbo broke the news that TAG, one of the main rappers of the boy group, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a University Hospital in Gangnam. The report stated that the idol had developed symptoms of acute liver failure and was in urgent need of a liver transplant.
However, shortly after the news, Golden Child's agency released an official statement, announcing that while TAG was hospitalized, he was not in critical condition.
Woollim Entertainment shed light on the idol's condition via a statement on the media outlet SPOTV. The agency stated that the idol went to the hospital simply for his poor health, not for a liver disorder. The full update states:
"TAG is definitely not in critical condition. He is not in critical condition at all. Rather, recently he was in poor health so he visited the hospital this morning and is awaiting the test results."
What is acute liver failure?
Acute liver failure is a condition where one undergoes loss of liver function over the course of mere days or weeks. It usually occurs in people who have no preexisting liver disease. The disease is commonly caused by a hepatitis virus or drugs such as acetaminophen.
Some famous people who have fallen victim to this condition include the American novelist Truman Capote, Mexican actress Dolores del Río and Velvet Underground's lead singer Lou Reed.
Not long after the news broke, Golden Child's fan pages took to social media to announce that TAG, whose real name is Son Young-taek, is in need of a liver transplant, adding that the idol's blood type is known to be RH+ O. Several fans even volunteered their own livers for their idol.
Following the clarification, many fans of both the idol and Golden Child heaved a sigh of relief and wished the rapper a quick recovery for the idol. Many were upset with the false reports that were shared in the first place
Meanwhile, the K-pop group, who made their debut in August 2017 with the EP, Gol-Cha!, released their second Japanese single "Rata-Tat-Tat" on May 11. In support of their first Japanese comeback, Golden Child also held a two-day showcase in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on April 30 and May 1, 2022, at the Maihama Amphitheater.
