Rapper Yang Hong-won Faces Renewed School Bullying Allegations; Agency Files Criminal Complaint for Stalking

As a former schoolmate of rapper Yang Hong-won has come forward with allegations of school bullying, Yang's agency has responded firmly by filing a criminal complaint against the accuser for stalking, intimidation, trespassing, and property damage.

On June 22, Yang's agency, AP Alchemy, released an official statement regarding the recent bullying allegations posted on an online community. The agency stated, "The individual claiming to be a victim of school bullying posted that they attempted to communicate with the company and the artist, and left their contact information after receiving no response, but this is not true."

The agency continued, "Even before writing the post, this individual had been continuously sending threatening messages to the artist and his family. They also broke into the studio late at night, damaged the interior, and shattered a mirror," while releasing photos of the broken glass.

The agency further stated, "The individual sent a video of themselves damaging the studio to the artist's family, stating they were prepared for criminal punishment, and has threatened further damage to other studios and additional harm. Regardless of the truth of the school bullying rumors, such criminal acts cannot be tolerated." They confirmed that they have filed a complaint against the individual on charges of stalking, intimidation, trespassing, and property damage.

Previously, on June 16, a post was uploaded to an online community by an individual identified as 'A,' who claimed to have been a victim of school bullying by Yang. 'A' claimed to have attended elementary, middle, and high school with Yang, stating, "I thought 16 years would resolve it, but I still have terrible, haunting trauma." 'A' added, "Seeing him say on television that he would take responsibility for his past, I hoped he might reach out to apologize, but nothing happened," and demanded contact from Yang's side.

Later, 'A' released what appeared to be message exchanges with a lawyer representing Yang. The messages contained a warning not to contact Yang or his family further, stating, "Your actions could be subject to criminal punishment, including stalking, intimidation, property damage, and trespassing."
In response, 'A' claimed, "I visited the studio and the office, but I could not reach him. I left my number, and in return, I was sued for stalking."

Meanwhile, Yang faced allegations of school bullying when he appeared on Mnet's 'High School Rapper' in 2017. At the time, Yang acknowledged his past mistakes during a press conference, stating, "I have asked my friends for forgiveness and am still waiting for them to forgive me." In 2019, his appearance at a Jeju National University festival was canceled in the wake of the school bullying controversy.

Yang married Won Hyun-ju, whom he had been dating for eight years, and welcomed their daughter, Yang Ru-a, in November of last year. The family has launched a YouTube channel to share their parenting journey and has announced plans to hold a wedding ceremony this year.



(Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon | SBS Entertainment News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.