Music academy director defends actress Cha Ye-ryun against character allegations amid school violence controversy

The controversy surrounding actress Cha Ye-ryun is expanding as allegations of school violence evolve into debates over her character. While Cha has officially denied the school violence allegations twice and announced plans for legal action, public opinion remains divided following a series of anonymous revelations from individuals claiming to have witnessed her at hair salons and golf courses in the past. Conversely, a music academy director who provided piano lessons to Cha during her rookie years has drawn attention by sharing a positive account of her character.

Recently, a netizen posted online claiming to have seen Cha Ye-ryun at a hair salon in Cheongdam-dong 17 years ago. The poster alleged that after Cha had her hair washed, she suddenly became irritated during the drying process and snatched the hairdryer to dry her own hair. The individual added, "In my eyes, it appeared as if she treated the staff with disregard or as emotional trash cans," noting, "I thought someone would report this, but it is only now coming to light."

Another netizen claiming to have worked as a staff member at the same hair salon asserted a similar experience. "Snatching the hairdryer in sudden irritation was a given," the individual recalled, adding, "It was a mental wound at a young age." They further commented that they had simply thought she had "become kind after getting married," suggesting a shift in her image from the past to the present. Another netizen who claimed to have witnessed Cha at the time stated, "I remember thinking why she would come to a hair salon if she was going to do her own hair."

Negative accounts have also emerged from a golf course. A netizen identifying as a former caddy claimed to have worked for a team that included Cha Ye-ryun around 2012–2013, remembering that Cha treated them rudely, including showing irritation and disregard. The individual claimed that while many celebrities visited the golf course, the attitudes of Cha Ye-ryun and a male model were particularly poor. They added that they felt unpleasant seeing how her voice changed when speaking on the phone with broadcasting industry officials.

The controversy has expanded further as additional negative sightings at luxury boutiques and brunch restaurants have been posted online. However, these posts are based solely on the memories and claims of the authors and have not been verified as factual. As anonymous revelations regarding her behavior at specific locations continue, public opinion is forming to judge the actress's character separately from the school violence allegations.

Amidst this, a positive account of Cha Ye-ryun has surfaced. A netizen introducing themselves as the director of a music academy who gave Cha piano lessons during her rookie years stated, "She took lessons, saying they would help with her filming, and she was a pure and polite person." The director emphasized, "I am posting this as someone who saw Cha Ye-ryun by her side because it feels like she is being driven too hard. While there may be victims, I do not think it is right to drive a person's life toward a conclusion by leaving comments as mere gossip rather than regarding actual victims." This provided a dissenting opinion based on direct experience amidst the continuous negative revelations.

The controversy began with a post on an online community on the 29th of last month, titled "Please stop the activities of the female actress born in '85 who was a school violence perpetrator." The author claimed to have been continuously assaulted and bullied by a female actress born in 1985 while attending Junggye Middle School in Seoul, and Cha Ye-ryun was identified as that individual. On the following day, October 30, Cha's agency denied the allegations entirely, stating, "Upon verification, it is groundless."

As unverified speculative comments and past sightings continued to follow, the agency issued another official statement on the 4th, reiterating the denial of the school violence allegations and announcing a firm legal response. The agency explained that it takes the situation seriously, as unverified claims and speculations raised anonymously are repeatedly spreading and criticism is being directed even toward the actress's family. They also stated that they have secured relevant materials and will respond responsibly through legal review regarding the malicious spread of false information and personal attacks.

The original post that triggered the controversy is currently blocked from access due to temporary measures. This has led to speculation that a settlement was reached between the whistleblower and the agency, but the agency denied the settlement rumors, stating they never requested the deletion of the post.

With the positions of the parties involved in the school violence allegations remaining sharply opposed, the controversy has entered a new phase as conflicting memories and evaluations pour in online. However, as it is difficult to judge a specific person's character based solely on anonymous revelations and sightings, a cautious approach is required to distinguish unverified claims from facts. Attention is also focused on whether the allegations surrounding Cha Ye-ryun will turn into an indiscriminate trial by public opinion rather than a search for the truth.

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