HB Entertainment denies school violence allegations against Cha Ye-ryun

Cha Ye-ryun's agency, HB Entertainment, issued a full denial on the 30th after an online post claimed the actress was a former school bully. The exposé, which began spreading on the 29th, alleged that a victim suffered a torn eardrum due to physical assault by an actress who attended Junggye Middle School.

Actress Cha Ye-ryun has been embroiled in allegations of school violence spreading online. An exposé emerged claiming she was subject to continuous bullying and physical assault by a specific actress during middle school, with Cha Ye-ryun's name being mentioned based on clues within the post. The controversy grew as the claimant appealed that they had suffered physical violence severe enough to tear an eardrum, but Cha Ye-ryun's side immediately issued a full denial, stating the claims are "groundless."

On the 30th, Cha Ye-ryun's agency, HB Entertainment, released an official statement regarding the school violence allegations raised online, stating, "We have checked the related post, and upon verification, it is groundless." The agency moved quickly to draw a line as the actress's real name was mentioned following the spread of the exposé.

The controversy began with a post titled "Please stop acting, school violence perpetrator actress born in '85," which was uploaded to an online community on the 29th. The author, identified as A, claimed to have been a victim of school violence by an actress who attended Junggye Middle School in Seoul, and shared a photo of a graduation album cover marked "February 2001."

In the post, A claimed the actress in question was a former "iljin" (school bully) whose name was known both inside and outside the school. A expressed distress, stating, "It is painful to see her appearing on TV or YouTube smiling, or being consumed as a good wife, a good mother, an actress who cooks well, or a character with a healthy image." A appealed that the scars of the past have not disappeared even after a long time and that they are currently receiving treatment at a psychiatric clinic for depression and anxiety symptoms.

The most shocking part of the exposé was the claim of physical assault. A claimed to have been continuously bullied in classrooms, bathrooms, and buildings near the school during middle school. In particular, A wrote that they were repeatedly slapped in a hallway of a building near the school, causing a torn eardrum and severe facial swelling. Because the claim involves physical damage beyond simple verbal abuse or ostracization, the post quickly drew attention.

An anecdote regarding a field trip to Lotte World was also revealed. A claimed that the student in question demanded that A swap sneakers for high heels, and when A refused, the student unleashed profanity and verbal abuse. A, who continues to suffer from trauma, demanded that the person identified as the perpetrator stop broadcasting and YouTube activities and sincerely reflect and apologize, noting that the perpetrator is active and loved by the public.

A stated that if the allegations are denied as groundless or if the person claims not to remember, A will submit testimonies from classmates and additional evidence. However, it is difficult to verify the facts of the exposé based solely on the currently released post, and it has not been confirmed whether objective data supporting the claims has been secured.

As the post spread, netizens began to speculate on the identity of the person by combining clues such as the birth year, school name, initials, and broadcasting activities provided by the author. In this process, Cha Ye-ryun's name, who was born in 1985, was mentioned, spreading the controversy. However, it cannot be concluded that the target of the exposé has been identified solely through online speculation.

With Cha Ye-ryun's side stating the claims are groundless, attention is now focused on the specific evidence of the exposé and future responses. School violence is a serious issue that can affect a victim's life for a long time, while it can also cause serious defamation and social stigma to the person whose real name is mentioned. Therefore, rather than concluding the facts based on unilateral claims or online speculation, it must be carefully verified through objective evidence and additional positions from the parties involved.

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