The Most Ridiculous Overnight Rumor

May 2013

Source: Instiz: The most legendary of all rumors that sparked and died overnight ㅋㅋㅋ

The start of the controversy began in DC Gallery when someone wrote up an account saying that they spotted Im Jaebum at the TOEIC testing center.

Journalists then jumped the gun and put out an onslaught of articles talking about how he was spotted taking the TOEIC test.

Then other netizens started writing up their own fan accounts of supposedly seeing him at the TOEIC testing center too. One of the best replies on a Nate article about it was even, "Im Jaebum sat right behind me when we were taking the TOEIC."

It eventually got on to the main page of Daum.
 

Journalists then started making up their own stories, putting out articles with Im Jaebum interviews (when he had never in fact given them interviews) talking about his TOEIC experience.
Article: Im Jaebum takes the TOEIC test "I've been studying consistently all this while"

Article: Im Jaebum takes the TOEIC?... "I've been studying English ahead of my American filming"

Eventually, Im Jaebum came out with a statement the same day saying, "I heard that I apparently took the TOEIC. Unfounded rumors! I was at home resting, eating, and taking a break. That is all."

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Netizen Comment:
"Korean journalists have such splendid imaginations" x400000

Translations: NB