Inside Seo Yea-ji's biggest scandals and comeback: Bullying, staff abuse claims and boyfriend feuds

Seo Ye-ji's career has been rocked by scandals that could have sunk most stars, but she has dug her feet into the ground and still made her comeback. Moreover, she is still a deeply-loved star, with fans vouching for her. So, how exactly did she manage to bounce back when the headlines were stacking up against her?

School bullying?

Back in 2014, a user on social media platforms dropped a bomb: “Seo Ye-ji bullied me in middle school and even extorted me.” At the time, Yea-ji was still fresh from her debut in Potato Star 2013QR3, and the claim fizzled without much traction. Fans argued the so-called 'proof'— old school photos — looked nothing like the actress.

But fast forward to April 13, 2021, and the rumour roared back to life. A new accuser claimed they were also bullied by her, brandishing a middle school yearbook as evidence. They even alleged, “Seo Yea-ji went for plastic surgery around her middle school graduation, and that’s why people couldn’t believe those photos are actually of her.”

Why speak up now? One supposed victim told Koreaboo, “The reason why the school violence and bullying didn’t blow up at the time is because we’re all mothers now. It’s hard for mothers to step forward and come out like that.”

Gold Medalist quickly clapped back: “Regarding the suspicions of school violence that were additionally raised, we inform you that they are completely false.”

Faking her education?

On JTBC’s Knowing Bros in 2017, Seo casually said she had studied in Madrid for three years. Asked point-blank if she went to university there, she answered, “Yes.” In a 2014 TV Daily interview, she even added, “I wanted to become a news anchor and decided to study abroad in Spain.” Another interview had her recalling discrimination from her Spanish professors.

But then she pulled a 180. By 2017, in Woman Sense, she flatly denied ever attending a Spanish university: “I have never been to university in Spain and never even dreamt of becoming a news anchor.”

Confused yet? You’re not alone. Her agency tried to clean it up, claiming she had been “admitted” to Complutense University but never actually attended due to work.

Staff abuse?

April 14, 2021, brought fresh dirt: a supposed crew member from It’s Okay to Not Be Okay alleged she had verbally abused staff, demanded cigarettes, and even checked employees’ phones to prevent evidence. “I would cry and tell my company that I didn’t want to work with her, but they always told me to suck it up,” the anonymous post read.

The same person claimed Ye-ji threatened to blacklist staff from the industry if they spread rumours. Yet another long-term staffer countered with a glowing defense, writing, “The Seo Yea-ji I know often expresses her gratitude … she has never considered the staff as someone lower than her.”

Gold Medalist, however, stayed curiously quiet on this one.

Controlling her boyfriend?

And then, the scandal that lit the match: Dispatch’s April 12 exposé about Seo’s alleged “control” over then-boyfriend Kim Jung-hyun during the filming of Time (2018). The tabloid claimed Seo ordered Kim to avoid romantic scenes with co-star Seohyun, leading to 13 script changes and a painfully awkward press conference performance from Kim.

Kim eventually issued an apology: “I brought the shameful incident upon myself due to personal issues and apologise without making any excuses.” Noticeably, he didn’t deny Seo’s involvement.

Against this pile of allegations, Seo Yea-ji could’ve easily been canceled into oblivion. But instead, after keeping a considerably low profile, she’s still headlining dramas and pulling in fans, proving she’s mastered the art of scandal survival.