In the world of K-drama, where love stories often play out on and off-screen, the relationship between popular actors Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ye Ji has taken a dramatic turn. Their romance, which was once the talk of the town, came under fire in April 2021 when their private text exchanges were made public by a Korean media outlet.

The Controversy Begins

The controversy began with a rift between Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun and Kim Jung Hyun during the filming of the 2018 drama “Time”. Kim Jung Hyun, who was seen rebuffing his co-star Seohyun at a promotional event, dropped out of the drama citing health issues. However, later in 2021, when his agency and the actor were on bad terms, the agency revealed that his attitude since the press conference for the drama was due to personal issues involving a woman, bringing to light his dating rumors with actress Seo Ji Hye.

Seo Ye Ji’s Involvement

A few days after the staff’s statement, a Korean media outlet revealed the text messages between Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ye Ji. The texts showed that Seo Ye Ji had asked Kim Jung Hyun to avoid any skinship scenes with other actresses. This revelation led to accusations of gaslighting against Seo Ye Ji, as she herself was seen sharing intimate scenes with Lee Joong Ki in “Lawless Lawyer” while “Time” was being filmed.

Seo Ye Ji’s agency puts out an official statement 

On April 13, Seo Ye Ji’s agency Gold Medalist issued an official statement. After getting confirmation with Kim Jung Hyun’s representatives, they revealed that Kim Jung Hyun’s side also clearly confirmed that the drama-related controversy was not caused by Seo Ye Ji. The company also apologized to the damage caused to the movie Recalled and the other actors as Seo Ye Ji could not attend the press conference due to this controversy. 
They informed that there was also a conversation between Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ye Ji where he asked her not to film a kiss scene but that interaction was not made public. They claimed that Seo Ye Ji also asked him to do the same if he wished for that. The two shared conversations mixed with jealousy. Her label also pointed out that most actors separate their feelings aside while they are acting and it was the actor’s own free will to do what he did. 

Seo Ye Ji accused of bullying

In February 2021, Seo Ye Ji was also accused of school violence and bullying. The alleged victim claimed that she hit people and if she didn’t like someone, she treated them like objects. Back in 2014 also the actress was surrounded by bullying allegations which mentioned that she was known by everyone in school for bullying and stealing money. Her agency issued a statement denying these claims. 

Kim Jung Hyun releases an apology statement 

On April 14, Kim Jung Hyun finally spoke up and apologized to the staff, director and actors of the drama Time. He apologized to Seohyun and how he acted during the press conference. He took the blame for how he acted during the filming and for dropping out of the drama. He promised to be a better and more responsible actor in the future. 

Seo Ye Ji apologizes 

After these controversies died down, Seo Ye Ji went off the radar for a while. In February 2022 she issued an official apology and promised to be a more mature and thoughtful actor. 

Recent Activities

Despite the controversy, both actors have continued to focus on their solo careers. Seo Ye Ji, who debuted in 2013 with the drama “Potato Star”, is best known for her dramas “Lawless Lawyer”, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”, “Save Me” and “Hwarang”. She last appeared in the 2022 drama “Eve”.

Kim Jung Hyun, who started off with the 2012 film “I’ll Be With You”, is best known for hits like “Welcome to Waikiki”, “Crash Landing on You” and “Mr Queen”. He will be appearing in the 2024 drama “Iron Family”.