South Korean singer-actress Park Gyu-ri has apologised to fans for visiting a club in the Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul, which is linked to several Covid-19 cases.

"I give my deepest apologies for not abiding by a rule that everyone should have during the social distancing period, regardless of any reasons," she was quoted as saying by the local media.

Park, 31, formerly of the now-defunct K-pop girl group Kara, issued the apology on Monday (May 11) after a media outlet reported that she was spotted at a club in Itaewon on May 2, four days before social distancing measures were eased and the same day that a Covid-19 patient visited the clubs in the area.

She has tested negative for the virus and is in self-isolation.

In a similar incident, rapper Song Min-ho, whose stage name is Mino, apologised to his fans through his agency YG Entertainment on Tuesday for performing at a club in Gangwon province in South Korea.

The agency confirmed that the 27-year-old had performed at the club on May 3, entertainment website Soompi reported.

Song, who rose to fame with his participation in several reality television series including Win: Who Is Next, was reported by the local media to have put on a spontaneous performance of his 2018 hit song Fiance at the club. Some clubgoers reportedly pulled their masks down while in the club.

YG Entertainment later apologised to fans for the incident, which it said took place during Song's private trip with his acquaintances.

It added that it would be mindful and ask the singer to carefully follow the rules for personal hygiene and social distancing in the future.

South Korea, which has been held up as a role model in curbing the spread of the coronavirus, has seen a resurgence of Covid-19 cases stemming from Seoul's Itaewon neighbourhood after an infected man went club-hopping in the area on May 1 and the early hours of May 2.

More than 100 cases have since been linked to the cluster. On Sunday, Seoul ordered the closure of all bars and clubs after the rash of new cases sparked fears of a second wave of infections.