The school bullying controversy surrounding actress Cha Ye Ryun continues to burn, with its fallout spreading further. Beyond the disabling of her YouTube channel’s comment section, social media accounts belonging to her husband—My Genie Secretary star Joo Sang Wook—have been flooded with comments demanding an explanation.
The incident originated on October 29 when an exposure post titled “1985-born Actress School Violence Perpetrator, Please Stop Promoting” was published on an online community.
The author, “A,” claimed to have been bullied by an actress born in 1985 who graduated from a middle school in Seoul. “A” alleged that the actress frequently bullied them in various spots around the school and borrowed items such as gym clothes and textbooks without ever returning them. “A” further claimed to have been slapped in the face by the actress to the point of suffering a ruptured eardrum, drawing intense public concern.
Although “A” did not disclose the actress’s real name, netizens pointed fingers at Cha Ye Ryun based on clues including her 1985 birth year and middle school origin.
In response to the allegations, Cha Ye Ryun’s agency, HB Entertainment, firmly denied the claims, stating, “They are completely untrue.” However, even with the agency’s strong stance, online posts from netizens claiming to be former classmates of Cha Ye Ryun continued to emerge, further amplifying the controversy.
These self-proclaimed classmates alleged that Cha Ye Ryun was once a member of a school delinquent group in the past. On the other hand, rebuttals also surfaced claiming she never physically assaulted or bullied anyone, rendering the entire incident increasingly convoluted.
Under these circumstances, the fallout extended to YouTube and the social media accounts of her actor husband, Joo Sang Wook.
Regarding the YouTube channel Cha Jang-geum Cha Ye Ryun, which Cha Ye Ryun currently stars in, the production team announced on November 1: “While verification regarding the matter is underway, we are temporarily disabling comment sections on select videos to prevent the spread of unverified rumors and protect her family from personal attacks.”
Furthermore, Joo Sang Wook’s social media accounts are currently being inundated with comments demanding clarification regarding the incident alongside critical remarks.
