Actress Song Ha Yoon has become involved in a serious legal dispute with a person who claims she bullied them in school. The accuser, known only as A or Ms. Oh, says the actress physically attacked her during high school. Song Ha Yoon strongly denies these claims. Her legal team has filed a lawsuit against the accuser for spreading false information. The accuser is now planning to travel to Korea to fight the lawsuit and file her own case against the actress. This situation has developed over many months and involves serious accusations from both sides.
The Initial Bullying Allegations and Delay in Response
The controversy began in April 2024. The accuser, A, appeared on a JTBC television program called ‘Incident Room’ or ‘Crime Chief’. She claimed that Song Ha Yoon had bullied her back in high school. The specific allegation was that in 2004, Song Ha Yoon and three other classmates physically assaulted her. The accuser described a severe attack that lasted for 90 minutes. She said the beating was so bad that her injuries required more than four weeks of treatment. She also stated that the school forced Song Ha Yoon to transfer to a different school because of this incident.
Following this television appearance, there was public discussion about the actress’s past. However, Song Ha Yoon’s agency at the time, KingKong by Starship, quickly denied the stories. They said the allegations had no connection to the truth. For nearly a year after the show, the actress did not make any further public statements about the issue. This long silence was finally broken in March 2025. After waiting 12 months, Song Ha Yoon’s side took legal action. They filed a criminal complaint against the accuser for defamation.
Legal Escalation and Accusations From Both Sides
The legal battle intensified in the months that followed. In May 2025, Korean investigation authorities decided to suspend their inquiry into the case. They also suspended the suspect status of the accuser. However, the situation changed quickly by July. The accuser claims that in July 2025, she was suddenly labeled a “wanted criminal” and a “suspect”. On July 22, 2025, Song Ha Yoon’s legal team filed an additional complaint against A. The new charges included defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and obstruction of business by fraudulent means.
The accuser responded to this legal move. She says she tried to settle the matter peacefully. She even sent a written proposal to end the dispute. But she claims Song Ha Yoon’s side wanted something specific in return. They allegedly demanded a public apology letter that contained a false confession. The accuser refused to admit to something she says she did not do.
โFrom the beginning, I had no intention of prolonging this as a conflict. Despite Song Ha Yoon and her law firm attempting to brand me with a false criminal frame to socially bury me worldwide, I even offered them a chance to exit honorably. But instead of accepting, they demanded a false confession and public apology. When I refused, they escalated with further legal action.โ
The accuser says this demand felt like organized retaliation. She believes the actress is trying to silence a whistleblower.
A Complicated Investigation Involving International Travel
A major complication in this case is the accuser’s location. She is currently living in the United States. She has U.S. citizenship but also holds Korean nationality. Because she lives abroad, taking part in a Korean police investigation is difficult. It requires international travel, which is expensive and time-consuming. The accuser initially stated that attending an investigation in person would be a significant financial burden for her. She found it unreasonable that a victim would have to pay to travel for questioning.
In response, Song Ha Yoon’s legal team made an unusual offer. They said they would pay for all the accuser’s travel costs to come to Korea. This included airfare, hotel stays, and local transportation. The law firm Jieum stated this was to help the investigation move forward quickly.
โThe reason A decided to enter Korea was due to Song Ha Yoonโs side taking the unusual step of covering all expenses โ including airfare, hotel, and transportation โ to ensure Aโs prompt return and participation in the investigation. We are fully prepared to verify each allegation raised since Aโs entry into Korea and respond accordingly.โ
However, the accuser later declined this offer. She argued that the solution was simpler than her flying to Korea. She demanded that Song Ha Yoon release her old school records. She believes these documents would show that the actress was forced to transfer schools due to disciplinary action. She said this would prove the bullying really happened.
โIf she insists there was no school violence or forced transfer, all she has to do is request the relevant documents and make them public. That would resolve everything much faster and at a much lower cost than so-called support for travel expenses.โ
The accuser now says she will travel to Korea at her own expense to cooperate with the investigation.
The Accuser’s Planned Legal Counterattack and Demand for Evidence
The accuser is not just defending herself; she is preparing to fight back legally. She announced plans to file a countersuit against Song Ha Yoon. Her lawsuit will include charges for false accusation, defamation, and coercion. She also plans to take action against the actress’s law firm. She will accuse them of defamation and violating lawyer ethics rules. She emphasizes that her goal is not money. She says she never asked for any financial compensation. Her main desire is for the truth to be revealed.
A key point in her argument involves school district policies. She claims that Banpo High School and Gujeong High School are in the same school district. She says a student cannot easily transfer between schools in the same district unless it is a disciplinary action. Therefore, she argues, Song Ha Yoon’s transfer must have been a punishment for bullying, not a voluntary choice.
โBanpo High School and Gujeong High School belong to the same school district, making a simple transfer within the district impossible unless it involved disciplinary action. If it were not related to school violence, such a transfer would not have occurred. This supports the inference that the transfer was not voluntary but rather due to a school violence issue.โ
She is demanding the release of official documents to clear up this matter. She wants to see the minutes from the school committee hearing, papers about the transfer signed by the education chief, and any preserved disciplinary records.
Current Status and Impact on Song Ha Yoon’s Career
This ongoing scandal has undoubtedly affected Song Ha Yoon’s professional life. She is known for her roles in popular dramas like ‘Marry My Husband’ and ‘Fight For My Way’. Following the expiration of her exclusive contract with KingKong by Starship Entertainment, she has effectively suspended her entertainment activities. The constant news reports and legal battles have kept her in the public eye for a negative reason.
There is no clear outcome to this case yet. Both sides are firmly sticking to their stories. Song Ha Yoon and her representatives continue to deny every allegation, calling them completely groundless. The accuser remains determined to prove her case and clear her name. She is scheduled to return to Korea soon to participate directly in the police investigation. This case highlights the serious and complex nature of school bullying allegations in the public sphere. It shows how difficult it can be to find the truth when memories and records are old.
Credits: koreajoongangdaily.joins.com
