Baek Ji Young on past feud with Seo In-young: “I don't even remember why I hated her”

The 13-year-old feud involving singer Baek Ji Young and Seo In-young has resurfaced in an unexpected way. An anecdote that once appeared as a sharp emotional confrontation between the two has become a faint piece of history, to the point where even the parties involved say, “I don't remember why we were like that.”

In a recent video uploaded to her YouTube channel, Baek shared glimpses of her daily life, cooking meals at home with her husband, Jung Seokwon. During the video, Baek mentioned that she met Seo while visiting 'Frieze Seoul,' a world-class art fair held in Seoul the day before filming.

One of the topics of their conversation was the old rumors of discord that had followed them in the past. Baek laughed, saying, “We asked each other, ‘Why did you hate me, unnie?’ and ‘Why did I hate you?’ but neither of us could remember.” The conflict that was once a hot topic in the broadcasting industry has now remained as a faint memory even for the protagonists.

Baek explained that the meeting actually served as an opportunity to become closer to Seo. Rather than re-examining the reality of their past emotions toward one another, they have entered a stage where they can comfortably look back on the time they have passed, showing a facet of long-standing connections in the entertainment industry.

The rumors of their discord were first detailed through SBS's 'Strong Heart' in 2013. At the time, Baek drew public attention by candidly admitting that she disliked Seo's overly bubbly personality and outward image.

The decisive moment occurred in a waiting room of a music program. Baek, who was under stress at the time due to her poor vocal condition, restrained Seo for being noisy in her waiting room with singer Lyn, after which Seo apologized and left. Baek later reflected that her words at the time might have hurt Seo.

Afterward, the two met again in a private setting and resolved their relationship. At the time, Baek reached out first to express her apologies to Seo, and Seo also conveyed sentiments to Baek asking her "not to hate her." Baek explained that she restored the relationship by acknowledging that she had been overly sharp as a senior.

Seo also publicly revealed her inner feelings after hearing Baek's remarks at the time. She expressed that she liked Baek and didn't particularly want to be disliked, so she was upset to learn that her senior thought poorly of her.

Nevertheless, rather than escalating the conflict, Seo chose to restore the relationship. At the time, she responded to Baek by leaving a message on her SNS to the effect of, “Sometimes misunderstandings create even better connections,” asking Baek to continue to look upon her fondly. As a result, their conflict became an opportunity to understand each other rather than remaining a long-term grudge.

What is interesting is that the perspectives of both individuals toward this matter have completely changed from the past. In 2013, the emotional clash between the senior and junior was a major topic on variety shows, but now, more than 10 years later, the emotional weight of the incident has vanished to the point where it can be summarized by the phrase, “I don't even remember why I hated her.”

This shows how much the way entertainment industry relationships are consumed by the public can differ from the actual relationships of the parties involved. While a single reprimand and the other party's disappointment were expanded into a massive narrative of a 'feud' on broadcasts at the time, the individuals had already restored their relationship long ago and lived their respective lives.

Furthermore, the two are expanding their new areas of activity in their own ways recently. In addition to her long career as a singer, Baek is broadening her connection with the public by naturally sharing stories of her family, daily life, and music through YouTube. Seo is also taking time to re-examine her public image by explaining her past and current life through her own YouTube channel.

Baek revealed that they also talked a lot about Seo's YouTube during this meeting. Unlike the characters created on past broadcasts, the environment itself—where they can now directly create content about their own stories and deliver it to the public—is serving as a background that sheds new light on their relationship.

Baek also disclosed that she had been scouted regarding Seo's YouTube appearances in the past. However, she explained that it was difficult to participate because she was not accustomed to filming that involved a set concept, and Seo shared behind-the-scenes stories regarding the filming process.

This moment aligns with the recent trend where celebrity YouTube content has moved beyond being a mere supplement to traditional broadcasting to becoming an independent communication channel. While short talk segments on variety shows once defined their relationship, they can now use their own voices to explain the past and reconstruct their current relationship.

Baek also drew attention by sharing how her husband, Jung Seokwon, reacts to her YouTube activities. She laughed as she mentioned that Jung has recently been hearing many compliments about being "handsome" and that some people even mimic his lines from Baek's videos.

Ultimately, the 13-year-old feud is no longer a defining keyword for their relationship. A dynamic once consumed as a 'scary senior and hurt junior' has transformed into two people who watch each other's YouTube channels and laugh while looking back at the past.

The true strength of long-lasting relationships in the entertainment industry does not lie in the absence of conflict. Rather, it lies in resolving past misunderstandings and emotional clashes over time, ensuring they no longer act as shackles on current relationships. While the 'feud' between Baek Ji Young and Seo In-young has resurfaced after 13 years, what remains for them is not the memory of discord, but laughter.