ATEEZ's San Says His Taekwondo Master Dad Hit Himself Instead of Punishing Him

ATEEZ's San says his father, a taekwondo master, took him to the dojo after a teenage curfew argument, then struck himself rather than his son. San shared the story on the web talk show Salon Drip, in an episode released on the 13th with bandmate Wooyoung.

San described a strict upbringing. His father taught him manners and how to treat elders from a young age, and had a saying he repeated: a teenager's rebellion should never be aimed at his parents, and above all not at his mother.

The night at the dojo

The lesson that stuck came when San was in the stage where friends mattered most. He asked his father if he could visit his grandfather's house now and then and stay out late with friends. His father drove him to the training hall. There was a wooden stick in the car trunk labeled "rod of love", and San was told to kneel and get down.

What happened next surprised him. His father didn't hit him; he hit himself, saying he had failed to teach his son properly, that he was sorry, and that San had no reason to be punished.

San said that was when it clicked: he had done something wrong, and there was a reason his father was acting this way. He added that his father has never once struck him.

"He is my role model," San said. Despite being raised strictly, he said he truly wants to be like his father and considers him the coolest man in the world.

A quick word on the Milan rumor

The episode also touched on recent headlines. San told host Jang Do-yeon he had flown in from Milan that very day. She noted that a news story about him directly addressing dating rumors had appeared on the day of filming, and joked that success brings every kind of fuss. San agreed, saying people around him had said the same and that he found it funny.

The rumor began after photos and video spread of San walking with a woman in Milan on the 26th of last month, where he was attending Fashion Week. His agency, KQ Entertainment, explained that she was a representative of a local Milan brand and that they were heading out to buy items needed for his schedule. It added that a local bodyguard and a manager were with them.

San also responded on a fan communication platform, denying the rumor. He said secretly filming people is wrong and asked fans not to commit crimes, adding a pointed "before I catch you".