When Logan Paul began working with WWE, the thing many fans remembered him for the most, and the thing for which he gets the most hated, was a video he recorded in Japan’s “Suicide Forest” in 2017. The video recorded in the country’s Aokigahara Forest is the first time many people heard of the then-budding YouTube talent. The forest is known as the most popular site for suicide in Japan. A total of 105 bodies were found in the forest in 2003 and deaths often occur in brutal manners, leading country officials, volunteers, and even journalists to conduct “body searches” since the 1970s. The country has ceased releasing numbers of bodies and suicide statistics from the forest in an attempt to curb attempts.

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While Paul and his friends were visiting the forest, they found the body of a man who had hung himself and got the body on video, laughing and making jokes while filming. One member of the now infamous “Lo-Gang” is heard saying he “didn’t feel good,” and Paul remarks, “What, you never stand next to a dead guy?” while laughing. The video was uploaded to Paul’s YouTube channel, where it remained for a full day, at a time when the channel had over 15 million subscribers. The BBC reported the video had millions of views before it was taken down.

Paul issued what many fans considered an “insincere” apology. Paul said he filmed the body and uploaded the video in order to “raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention.” He remarked he “didn’t do it for views,” but “he gets views” and was reminded of how “big of a reach he truly has” and “with great power comes great responsibility.” The apology was posted to Paul’s X (formerly Twitter) account, and has since been removed.

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