TThis week, the careers of several South Korean celebrities have been thrown into doubt due to allegations of past school bullying. It is the latest wave in a years-long movement to address the deep-seated problem of school violence and retroactively punish suspected former bullies who implicated the Korean Wave. Tree” and the nation.
Jeon Jong-seo, 29-year-old actor, rose to international fame after appearing in the critically acclaimed film in 2018. combustion (And she recently made headlines for throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers exhibition game in Seoul.) He has been criticized online by people claiming to be his classmates from high school. She then berated her fellow students over a decade ago.
Chung's agency said in a statement on Thursday that the allegations were “absolutely untrue” and threatened legal action against those who spread defamatory rumors, adding that the news was a source of concern for Chung and those around her. It added that it had caused “severe psychological damage” to people.
Similar rumors began swirling around another actor, 37 years old Song Ha Yoon, earlier this week. Although she initially denied the bullying allegations, including hitting her classmates, Song's agency confirmed on Tuesday that she had been expelled from her high school for “school violence.”
In recent years, more than a dozen public figures in South Korea, ranging from celebrities to politicians to athletes, have been ensnared with bullying accusations.
Last year, Ahn Woo-jin, one of South Korea's top baseball pitchers, was excluded from South Korea's international team after allegations surfaced that he had assaulted a high school teammate. He was also suspended by the Korea Baseball and Softball Association, effectively banning him from participating in the Olympics and Asian Games.
In 2021, sisters and famous volleyball players Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young were removed from the national team and club due to allegations of bullying at school. A few months later, they moved their careers to a Greek volleyball club..
Popular actor Jisoo was effectively expelled from the entertainment industry in 2021 after accusations surfaced online that she had been involved in bullying, including physical assault and sexual harassment, towards her classmates in middle school and high school. Jisoo has apologized for the bullying allegations, but he has taken legal action against those who spread the sexual harassment allegations, which he denies.
Even public figures who are not accused of being directly involved in bullying are subject to sanctions. Last year, President Yoon Seok-yeol rescinded Jeong Soon-shin's appointment as head of the National Investigation Agency after reports emerged that Jeong had defended his son after he was accused of verbally abusing a high school classmate. ..
Bullying and school violence (hakupoku Although Yun has vowed to fight it, reports of such acts have increased sharply in South Korea over the past decade and have become the center of public debate. A 2023 survey of college students showed that 54% of respondents who experienced school violence had considered suicide.
While authorities are currently toughening penalties for school bullying and increasing support for victims, questions remain about how adults are legally held responsible for teenagers' misbehavior, and who should be held accountable. Questions about whether school violence is possible have led to victims of past school violence having little recourse other than coming forward.
The nationwide “Hakpok #MeToo” movement to name and shame former school bullies has been further fueled by Netflix's hit 2022 K-drama revenge series. The Glorycontained scenes inspired by real school bullying incidents. (After anonymous posts accusing him of being a bully sparked widespread public outrage) The Glorydirector Ahn Gil-ho admitted that he physically assaulted another student during his high school days. Actor Kim Hee Ora was plagued by similar allegations, which she denied, although she admitted that she was a bystander to bullying during her middle school days. )
In general, the public has a ruthless attitude towards allegations of bullying. According to a 2023 survey of Koreans, 58% said it would be better for the accused celebrity to refrain from appearing in public until the allegations are verified, and 24% said the accused celebrity would “cease all appearances.” I should.” immediately. “
Psychology experts say the causes of bullying are South Korea's collectivist culture, peer pressure, and notoriously harsh education system. But the intense backlash against alleged former bullies has also raised concerns, with some social workers warning that demands for retaliation could be akin to a form of bullying and prompting increased public scrutiny. He likens it to a “witch hunt.''
“The idea of hurting a bully's career is not an issue,” said Jihoon Kim, a criminologist at the University of Alabama. new york times“Because they are deemed worthy of it.”