A year after allegations of school bullying were raised against actress Song Hayoon, the initial whistleblower, Mr. A, has been criminally charged with defamation by Song, escalating a battle over the truth.
On April 2, Song Hayoon's legal representative, Law Firm Ji-eum, announced, "The bullying allegations raised last year are baseless, and we have submitted numerous pieces of evidence to the investigative authorities to support this." Ji-eum added, "We have filed a lawsuit against Mr. Oh (Mr. A) for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and for obstruction of business by deceit, and the police have issued a wanted notice for him in May."
Song Hayoon's team also emphasized, "A high school classmate identified by Mr. A clearly stated they 'never saw or heard of any assault,' and the homeroom teacher also said they 'never heard of a forced transfer.'" Song Hayoon has been on hiatus since the allegations surfaced in April last year.
However, on the same day, Mr. A posted a lengthy rebuttal online, countering the claims made by Song Hayoon's side. He stated, "I am a national living abroad with U.S. citizenship, and I have already submitted a written statement and a copy of my passport to the police." He also argued, "It is excessive and unfair for me, the victim, to bear the cost of airfare and accommodation to attend an investigation in Korea."
Notably, regarding Song Hayoon's transfer, he emphasized, "Banpo High and Gujeong High are in the same school district, and a transfer due to a typical change in school district is impossible," suggesting, "This supports the circumstance of a forced transfer due to disciplinary action for bullying." He claimed, "I have never spread false information or distorted facts, and the JTBC 'CRIME CHIEF' report was also organized after confirming with several parties involved."
Mr. A stated, "Song Hayoon's attempt to turn this case into a false accusation charge is an act that obscures the essence," adding, "I am considering legal measures, including civil and criminal responses, if necessary."
Meanwhile, the police have issued a wanted notice for Mr. A due to his non-cooperation with the investigation, and Song Hayoon's team is preparing legal responses in the United States as well. Ji-eum stated, "Actress Song Hayoon has been carefully responding to correct the false claims and is doing her best to restore her honor as an actress and resume her activities."
As both sides present sharply conflicting claims, the focus is on whether the investigation and legal judgments will reveal the truth.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)