YouTube team denies Cha Ye-ryun manages comments amid school violence claims

The production team for Cha Ye-ryun's YouTube channel stated on the 1st that staff, not the actress, manage comments to prevent personal attacks against her family. This follows an online exposé on the 29th of last month alleging the actress was involved in school violence in Seoul.

Amid allegations of school violence involving actress Cha Ye-ryun, the production team of her personal YouTube channel has released a statement regarding comment management and the decision to make certain videos private. As suspicions were raised that Cha Ye-ryun was personally deleting comments, the production team drew a line, stating that comment moderation is conducted based on the staff's own judgment without the involvement of the performer. This measure is intended to prevent online controversy from escalating into personal attacks against her family while the truth of the allegations remains unverified.

On the 1st, the production team of the YouTube channel 'Cha Jang-geum Cha Ye-ryeon released a new post, asking for understanding for their delayed response, noting they "encountered the current matter while on a schedule in the United States with actress Cha Ye-ryun." They further explained, "YouTube comments are managed by the production team's judgment without the involvement of the cast."

The production team also disclosed their future channel management policy. To prevent the indiscriminate spread of rumors and personal attacks against her family while investigations into the matter are ongoing, they will deactivate certain videos and comment sections. Asking for the subscribers' understanding, the team clarified that these measures are not taken due to direct instructions or intervention from Cha Ye-ryun.

The post drew supportive comments for Cha Ye-ryun and the production team. Netizens expressed encouragement amidst the controversy, with reactions such as "Stay strong," "I believe this won't be true," and "The production team is also working hard." However, regardless of the support, interest in the matter is expected to continue for the time being as the facts regarding the school violence allegations have not been confirmed.

The controversy began with an exposé posted on an online community on the 29th of last month. In a post titled "Please stop acting, school violence perpetrator actress born in '85," the author, identified as Person A, claimed to have suffered continuous bullying and physical assault while attending a middle school in Seoul. While the author described the perpetrator as an active actress born in 1985, the real name was not directly disclosed.

Person A claimed that the bullying repeatedly occurred in areas such as the back of the classroom, bathrooms, playgrounds, buildings near the school, and hallways. The post also included claims that gym clothes were borrowed and not returned, and that the victim suffered damage such as a ruptured eardrum from being slapped on the cheek. Based on clues provided in the post, including age, school origin, and initials, Cha Ye-ryun was identified online as the subject of the allegations.

HB Entertainment, Cha Ye-ryun's agency, completely denied the allegations immediately after they surfaced, stating, "Upon verification, it is groundless." However, the controversy has not easily subsided as other netizens claiming to be Cha Ye-ryun's former classmates have appeared. Nevertheless, the truth of the allegations cannot be determined solely by the exposé posted online and the posts from those claiming to be classmates.

The issue of comment management has also become another point of contention. Some netizens raised questions about whether the actress was personally deleting comments, noting that critical comments on Cha Ye-ryun's YouTube channel have been disappearing since the allegations were raised. In response, the production team explained that comment management is carried out without the performer's involvement and that the measures are to prevent the spread of unverified rumors and personal attacks against her family.

Cha Ye-ryun debuted in the 2005 film 'Voice' and has since appeared in dramas such as 'Royal Family', 'Glamorous Temptation', and 'Gracious Revenge'. She married actor Joo Sang-wook in 2017 and has a daughter. Her current agency has denied the school violence allegations as groundless, and as the contents of the exposé and the rebuttal statements clash, the verification of specific facts is expected to be the core of the future controversy.

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