Cha Ye-ryun to take legal action over school violence allegations

HB Entertainment announced on the 4th that it will pursue legal action against the spread of false information and personal attacks targeting actress Cha Ye-ryun and her family. The agency is responding to unverified anonymous claims and criticism directed at her husband, Joo Sang-wook, following allegations that began late last month.

Actress Cha Ye-ryun has once again denied allegations of school violence and announced plans for strong legal action. As the controversy, which began with anonymous online posts, has spread to her husband, Joo Sang-wook, and her family, her agency has issued a new official statement clarifying its stance against the spread of false information and personal attacks. With unverified claims continuing to circulate, the agency emphasized its determination to prevent further damage.

HB Entertainment, the agency representing Cha Ye-ryun, stated in an official position released on the 4th, "We express deep regret for causing concern to fans and the public due to the recent controversies regarding Cha Ye-ryun online." Reaffirming its previous position, the agency explained that it is taking the controversy and the criticism directed at her family very seriously.

The agency maintained its original stance that the school violence allegations are groundless. In particular, it emphasized, "We are taking the current situation, where unverified claims and speculations raised anonymously are repeatedly spreading and criticism is being directed even at the actress's family, very heavily." The agency expressed concern that posts and comments with unverified facts are affecting not just the actress personally, but her family as well.

Furthermore, the agency announced strong measures against the spread of false information and personal attacks. "Regarding the malicious spread of false information and personal attacks, we will thoroughly secure relevant data and respond responsibly after legal review," the agency stated, adding, "We will take strong measures to ensure that the damage does not increase further." The plan is to hold parties accountable through legal procedures rather than stopping at simple explanations.

The controversy began at the end of last month when a post was uploaded online claiming that an actress born in 1985 was bullied and assaulted during her middle school years. Although the author of the post did not disclose the specific name of the actress, the suspicion spread as some netizens identified Cha Ye-ryun based on her birth year and school background. The controversy became linked to the actress as speculation was added to the anonymous claims.

Cha Ye-ryun's side first released an official statement on the 30th of last month, refuting the claims by stating, "Upon verification, it is groundless." While access to the post was restricted via temporary measures as of the 2nd, it should be noted that this does not constitute a judgment on the truthfulness of the post. The allegations raised online remain unverified by objective standards.

Even after access to the post was restricted, the controversy did not easily subside. Comments from netizens claiming to be former classmates continued, and the criticism extended to the personal account of her husband, actor Joo Sang-wook. As the suspicions against the individual spread to her family, the matter expanded beyond a simple online debate into an issue of personal attacks.

Ultimately, the production team of Cha Ye-ryun's YouTube channel, 'Cha Jang-geum Cha Ye-ryeon, also took action. To prevent indiscriminate rumors and personal attacks against her family, the production team suspended the comment function on some videos. This move is interpreted as an effort to block additional damage through comment sections as online criticism continues while the facts of the allegations remain unverified.

On the 3rd, a post by a netizen claiming to have worked as a golf course caddy in the past was introduced through a channel. The author claimed to have received rude treatment from Cha Ye-ryun, but the specific facts of the claim, including whether the individual actually worked there and the circumstances at the time, have not been confirmed. This, too, has not been objectively verified to date.

Cha Ye-ryun and Joo Sang-wook married in 2017 and had a daughter the following year. As this controversy affects not only the actress but also her husband and family, attention is focused on how the legal action announced by the agency will proceed. However, as allegations from anonymous posts and online comments cannot be concluded as facts, the matter needs to be settled through specific factual verification and official responses in the future.

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