Actress Jeon Jong-seo/ Courtesy of Tving
Actor Jeon Jong-seo, celebrated for her acting in the movie "Burning," has been caught up in allegations regarding possible school bullying. Andmarq, her agency, called the allegations "groundless."
The controversy around Jeon began to swirl on Wednesday when a post surfaced on the anonymous workplace community app Blind, which alleged Jeon was a school bully when she was in middle school.
The author of the post said, "Jeon would frequently steal or snatch away other kids' gym clothes and uniforms. Just seeing Jeon's face brings back those unpleasant memories."
As the post spread online, Andmarq released a statement saying it "immediately checked the facts with Jeon and her acquaintances, confirming that the allegations are entirely false" after it saw the post.
The agency said that it will take legal action against speculative posts and malicious comments causing "serious psychological harm to the actor and those around her," adding that it is "preparing to file a lawsuit with the evidence collected."
Jeon Jong-seo stars in tvN drama, "Wedding Impossible"/ Courtesy of Rakuten Vivi
According to her agency, the post has been deleted.
Jeon recently wrapped up shooting for the drama "Wedding Impossible."
In related news, actor Song Ha-yoon, who gained attention for her villainous role in the popular drama "Marry My Husband" that ended in February, also faced school violence allegations recently. Her agency released a statement denying the allegations after verifying the facts with Song, stating, "Song Ha-yoon does not even have a passing acquaintance with the accuser."
Another actor, No Hee-ji, addressed rumors linking her to school violence allegations related to Song Ha-yoon on social media, saying, "It seems people are saying the celebrity from Banpo High School '88 is No Hee-ji, but it's not me."
This comes after speculations arose that another celebrity, younger than Song Ha-yoon, was present at the time of the alleged incidents, prompting some netizens to point fingers at No, who has since come forward to clear her name.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.