New Testimony, Song Ha-yoon Sued for 10 Billion Won by Alleged School Bullying Victim

Song Ha Yoon's former classmates have disputed her denial of school bullying allegations.
The accuser is now suing the actress for 10 billion won in damages.
The legal battle intensifies with conflicting stories about a forced school transfer.

The long-simmering controversy surrounding actress Song Ha-yoon and allegations of school violence has erupted once again, with new testimonies from her former high school classmates directly contradicting her public denials. The situation, which first gained widespread attention in April 2024, has evolved into a complex legal battle filled with conflicting narratives and heightened emotions.

Initially, Song Ha-yoon's former agency acknowledged a "forced transfer" but denied any assault. However, the actress's stance has recently hardened. Through her legal representative at Ji-eum Law Firm, she has begun taking aggressive legal action, now claiming, "There was no assault or forced transfer at the time," and has filed a criminal complaint against her accuser for defamation.

This shift in strategy has seemingly galvanized individuals from her past to come forward. Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho released an audio interview featuring classmates from Banpo High School who remember the events differently. Their collective testimony paints a picture of a significant incident that was well-known among the student body, directly challenging Song Ha-yoon's revised narrative and throwing her claims into serious doubt.

The Victim Speaks Up

The primary accuser, referred to A, has responded with fury to Song Ha-yoon's lawsuit. After initially choosing to remain abroad, he has now returned to South Korea to confront the allegations head-on. He expressed his shock at being sued.

"After making the revelation in April last year, I thought I would never respond again, but in March, I received a call saying that they were suing me. The perpetrator suing the victim. I thought that there was something wrong with this. People around me said, 'It's not surprising because that's just how she is'," revealed A, quoted from news.nate.

A's story begins with a stark account of the alleged bullying incident itself, which he claims occurred 20 years ago. "I was assaulted for an hour and a half. It was a wild time," he stated, explaining why he never reported it to the school at the time.

"If the school violence committee was going to be called, it had to be a classmate. If a senior were to hit a junior, they would just give them a warning. Song Ha-yoon's boyfriend at the time was close to me, so I had to continue going to school and seeing him often, so it wasn't easy to tell the school," he recalled.

He firmly refutes Song Ha-yoon's claim that her transfer was for career purposes, arguing, "She said she voluntarily transferred to pursue an active entertainment career, but the Office of Education doesn't accept transfers within the same school district. There was definitely disciplinary action. Everyone in the school knows about it."

His reason for returning is to seek justice not just for himself, but for all victims.

"I thought (Song Ha-yoon) would harm my friends or those who helped with the incident. I came back to Korea because I wanted to have a positive influence on the system so that the perpetrators would no longer harm victims or whistleblowers," he said.

He also addressed Song Ha-yoon's offer to cover his expenses for returning, calling it a media play.

"At first, they said they would cover living expenses worth 2.5 million won, but in the end, they said they would give me 1.3 to 1.4 million won, so I decided not to take it, but they tried to play up the media by saying that they would cover the entire amount."

Finally, he highlighted the changing nature of Song Ha-yoon's defense, noting, "Last year, they said, 'I transferred schools because I was involved in school bullying, but I didn't assault anyone,' but this year, they say, 'There was no school bullying or forced transfer.' I don't know what they were preparing for a year."

A is now preparing to file a massive counterclaim for damages totaling 10 billion won (approximately $7.4 million USD) for mental distress, defamation, and false accusation.

Who is Song Ha-yoon and Why is This Controversy So Significant?

Song Ha-yoon is an actress who recently received significant acclaim for her role in the popular tvN drama "Marry My Husband." It was on the variety show "Knowing Bros" that she emotionally addressed her past, tearfully thanking viewers for their support and for making her acting dream come true.

This very moment, however, is what reportedly incensed her former classmates. One classmate, identified as 'A', who is also a close friend of Song Ha-yoon's then-boyfriend.

"When Song Ha-yoon saw what she said while getting emotional on 'Knowing Bros,' all my Banpo High School friends reacted the same way. No matter how much time has passed, if you do it that way, I know the victims roughly, so I thought they would feel quite uncomfortable," said A

Another classmate, 'B', was even more blunt, calling Song Ha-yoon's denial "a lie through and through." She added,

"All my classmates know that Song Ha-yoon hit me and I transferred. It was an incident where the girls were friendly and then fought among themselves... When Song Ha-yoon was acting, we used to think, 'If school violence breaks out, it's going to be a big problem,' but it broke out this time, and I thought it would be good if she apologized if she did something wrong, but I didn't see any reflection, so I thought, 'That's typical of Song Ha-yoon.'"

Classmate A provided a detailed memory that supports the forced transfer rumor, recalling, "At the time, I saw the victim's face clearly when he was hit by Song Ha-yoon's group. I asked him, 'What's wrong with your face?' The four of them were close, but the other three beat up the victim. After that incident, the three who beat him went their separate ways. If it wasn't a forced transfer, there's no way they would suddenly disappear."

He also dismissed her claim that Banpo High School was strict, stating, "Banpo High School doesn't strictly prohibit celebrity careers. In fact, famous celebrities came to our school and did well. The school itself is loose. It was a free school."

The controversy is significant because it pits a rising star's reputation against multiple, consistent testimonies from her past. It touches on the deep and sensitive issue of school violence in South Korea and the public's low tolerance for perpetrators, especially those who are perceived as not showing genuine remorse. The outcome of the ensuing legal battles will likely have a profound impact on Song Ha-yoon's career and serve as another high-profile case in the ongoing societal reckoning with bullying.

Source: Entertainment President Lee Jin-ho's YouTube Channel, news.nate, Chosun Biz