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Comedian Ro Hong-chul under fire after posting photos with lions from animal park in Tanzania

Published: 17 Feb. 2026, 14:59 Updated: 18 Feb. 2026, 19:24

Comedian Ro Hong-chul poses with a lion at a safari park in Tanzania in an Instagram post he uploaded on Jan. 30 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Comedian Ro Hong-chul has come under fire for alleged animal abuse after posting photos taken next to a sleeping lion in Tanzania.

Ro uploaded images and clips on his Instagram account in January from a visit to Serval Wildlife, a safari park in Tanzania, with the caption “Trying to touch the tip of a sleeping lion’s fur.”

They show Ro touching a seemingly sleeping lion and posing beside its body as it lay sprawled out on a tree branch. He also posted a video of himself walking alongside an awake lion.

Following the posts, some animal welfare activists questioned whether the lion appeared to be sedated, raising suspicions that the experience involved tranquilizing the animal to make it docile for close-contact encounters.

An African travel agency specializing in tours to the region also publicly criticized Ro's photos on Instagram, writing, “Does this lion look normal? No matter how you try to package it as a fairy-tale moment with a sleeping lion, this animal appears drugged.”

As the controversy grew, Ro addressed the issue on Instagram on Sunday. “Ethical wildlife encounters. I visited after reviewing keywords such as Tanzanian government oversight, health treatment, recovery and release into natural habitats, but I am hearing other perspectives as well,” he wrote, adding that if the concerns are valid, “I will of course take part,” implying he would take responsibility if necessary.

The post also included an introduction to the facility and additional photos showing himself sitting beside a lion resting on the grasslands and feeding a giraffe.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JAN GU-SEUL [[email protected]]