Seo Ye Ji’s agency releases statement on reports she controlled Kim Jung Hyun’s behavior in a drama

The agency of Seo Ye Ji released a statement on reports the actress controlled Kim Jung Hyun’s behavior when he worked on his 2018 drama “Time.”

According to a report on Soompi, GOLDMEDALIST Co. Ltd. said it was “impossible” for an actor to “participate in filming without one’s own will.”

The report said that at a press conference for the said drama, Kim Jung Hyun was criticized for his behavior toward his co-star Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun.

On Monday, Dispatch also published a report that showed comparisons between the original script and the version that was used on the series.

The report said 13 scenes which included physical contact between Kim Jung Hyun and Seohyun were removed and changed.

Dispatch allegedly revealed that the actor’s then girlfriend Seo Ye Ji had been giving him orders during the filming of the drama.

The Korean media outlet said it had received information on Kim Jung Hyun’s behavior three years ago, citing text messages between the actor and the “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” star.

It also said it had verified the authenticity of the messages through various sources, concluding that the exchanges were real.

The Soompi report published the translated text message exchange between the then couple:

Seo Ye Ji: Kim Stiff. Take out all of the physical contact.
Kim Jung Hyun: Of course.
Seo Ye Ji: Why aren’t you telling me how you did today?
Kim Jung Hyun: Today I didn’t greet a female staff member. I was really stiff with other people.
Kim Jung Hyun: I made it clear to Director Jang again that I won’t do romance.
Seo Ye Ji: haha okay. Keep behaving stiffly.
Kim Jung Hyun: The script for episode 9 is complete, but I think it will need to be modified entirely.
Seo Ye Ji: Do a good job with the modifications.

According to Soompi, in the original script for the ninth episode of “Time,” Seohyun helps an intoxicated Kim Jung Hyun from the hallway of his apartment building and brings him to the sofa inside his room.

However, in the final version, Seohyun just tells Kim Jung Hyun to get up from afar with the scene ending in the hallway.

Soompi reported another set of text exchange between Kim Jung Hyun and Seo Ye Ji, which it said took place during the shooting for the drama’s teaser in June 2018.

Kim Jung Hyun: Only you can touch my hands.
Seo Ye Ji: Be stiff no matter what you do. Make sure everything is modified well. Physical contact is a no-no.
Kim Jung Hyun: Of course. Kim Stiff!
Seo Ye Ji: Are you managing your actions well?
Kim Jung Hyun: Of course. The teaser is being done by a female assistant director, and I’m acting stiff.
Kim Jung Hyun: I didn’t even make eye contact with females.
Seo Ye Ji: Modify everything well so there is no romance and no physical contact.
Kim Jung Hyun: Seo Joo Hyun (Seohyun’s real name) is currently filming, so just us guys are talking right now.
Kim Jung Hyun: I just asked Director Jang to completely remove the romance. I said it logically.

Dispatch reported that another staff member from the set revealed that Kim Jung Hyun “kept asking for changes in the script on set.”

The staff added that “he stressed the importance of platonic love and asked to have any physical contact taken out. If things didn’t go his way, he would suddenly run outside and start gagging.”

Dispatch reported that the staff was worried about the actor and they later turned suspicious when he kept looking at his phone during shoots.

Soompi posted another set of text message exchange reported by Dispatch which allegedly showed that the actor was sending videos to his girlfriend.

Seo Ye Ji: How did you greet [the staff]?
Kim Jung Hyun: I didn’t greet them all. (sends a video taken on set)
Seo Ye Ji: It’s right for you to not greet [the staff].
Seo Ye Ji: If they greet you first, you just have to respond stiffly.

According to the report, Seo Ye Ji would always ask Kim Jung Hyun to send recordings during his shoot and the actor would secretly tape videos with his camera phone facing the ground.

Seo Ye Ji: I’m in a bad mood right now. Send me a video of the current situation.
Kim Jung Hyun: (sends a video taken on set)
Seo Ye Ji: It seems that the video you sent me was not taken on set?
Kim Jung Hyun: It is on set. It is inside the studio.

It also said Kim Jung Hyun would request changes on the script and send updates to his then girlfriend.

Kim Jung Hyun: I’m continuously looking at my script. I’m not doing anything else.
Seo Ye Ji: Make sure changes are made so there is no romance.
Seo Ye Ji: You are happy thanks to me, right? So you should make me happier.
Kim Jung Hyun: I’m going to look at my script.
Seo Ye Ji: Okay. Get it modified well. Physical contact, romance, no-no.
Kim Jung Hyun: Of course.

Soompi said following the release of the controversial Dispatch report, Seo Ye Ji on Tuesday skipped the press conference for her upcoming film “Recalled.”

Rumors that her educational background was fabricated and she was a perpetrator of school violence also circulated online.

On Tuesday, her agency GOLDMEDALIST Co. Ltd addressed all the issues in an official statement.

First of all, we apologize that it took a long time for an official statement to be released.

After checking with Kim Jung Hyun’s side, we received clear confirmation that the controversy regarding the drama did not occur because of Seo Ye Ji, and he expressed his intent to release his own statement regarding this.

However, he expressed that it will take some time for the statement to be released because various issues are involved. As the controversy continues to heighten, we were told that it is alright for us to release our statement first, so we are releasing our statement now. We once again apologize for the delay in releasing a statement.

In addition, we sincerely bow our head in apology for the absence today from the press conference for the film “Recalled,” causing harm to staff and the other actors of the film as well as reporters.

We are revealing our statement separate from Kim Jung Hyun’s. It is logically difficult to accept the controversial report that a drama’s leading actor would act exactly as told by someone else without his own free will. It is realistically impossible that an actor can act and participate in filming without one’s own will.

The agency also revealed that Kim Jung Hyun also made similar requests to Seo Ye Ji who is filming in a different drama saying that she should refuse kissing scenes.

It is not shown in the conversations that were revealed, but Kim Jung Hyun also made requests to Seo Ye Ji, who was filming a different drama, to not film kiss scenes. So Seo Ye Ji also told him, “Then you shouldn’t do it either,” among conversations of lovers showing jealousy about each other’s physical contact with others.

This can be seen as a common lovers’ quarrel between actors who are dating. However, all actors carry out filming normally, putting their quarrels with their partners aside.

We believe Kim Jung Hyun must have had an unavoidable personal matter as well. Moreover, the report contains conversations between individuals that should not have been made public, and great misunderstandings seem to have been caused because it was not taken into consideration that these are private conversations between lovers.

Ultimately, we are deeply reflecting on having caused concern to many people due to personal immature feelings in a romantic relationship.

We are also receiving many questions about Seo Ye Ji’s education, so we would like to use this opportunity to share the facts. Seo Ye Ji had been admitted to Complutense University of Madrid in Madrid, but after starting her activities in Korea, she was not able to normally attend university.

Moreover, regarding the suspicions of school violence that were additionally raised, we inform you that they are completely false.

We once again apologize for the trouble caused.

In a separate statement, Kim Jung Hyun also issued a handwritten letter of apology for his behavior while filming “Time” with Seohyun.

In the letter, Kim Jung Hyun expressed his regret and apologies to his co-star and the drama’s director and staff.

The actor did not mention Seo Ye Ji and said he brought the incident upon himself due to personal issues.

His apology came a day after Seo Ye Jin’s statement.

Hello. This is Kim Jung Hyun.

The drama “Time” was the first work I played a leading role in as an actor, so it was also a very meaningful project to me. But I brought deep disappointment and pain upon the director, screenwriter, fellow actors, and staff. I apologize.

My memories of the “Time” press conference remain in my head like shards. Even I cannot forgive my attitude at the time. I have so much regret that I wish I could turn back time.

I brought the shameful incident upon myself due to personal issues. I was not able to fulfill my responsibility as the drama’s protagonist and an actor. I apologize without making any excuses.

The process in which I dropped out of the drama “Time” and the behavior I showed at the press conference were all wrong. I sincerely apologize to actress Seohyun who was hurt because of it as well as all other related personnel who worked hard at the time.

I believe I should pay a visit to each of the “Time” staff members and those who were hurt by me and personally apologize to them. Even if it takes a long time, I will go to the director and screenwriter of “Time,” the actors, and all of the staff members who worked [on “Time”] and ask for forgiveness.

I apologize to my agency O& Entertainment as morally right, and I also apologize to Culture Depot for causing them to be mentioned in a disgraceful way. I also genuinely apologize to my fans who always supported me, believed in me, and waited for me.

I bow my head in apology to everyone I caused discomfort to. As I was writing this letter, I was able to reflect on my mistakes and wrong behavior. If I am given the opportunity, I will take nothing for granted and work hard to become a healthy actor who reflects on and manages himself. I am sorry.

Seo Ye Ji and Kim Jung Hyun trended on Twitter Monday after Dispatch published its report.

The report was released the same day Baeksang Arts Awards named Seo Ye Ji one of the best actress nominees for her character on “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay.”

Seo Ye Ji played Go Moon Young, a children’s story book writer who developed an antisocial personality disorder after living through a dark past as a child.

The drama’s male lead, Kim Soo Hyun, was also nominated for best actor.

Seo Ye Ji is up against four other actresses, namely Kim So Yeon (“The Penthouse”), Kim So Hyun (“River Where the Moon Rises”), Shin Hye Sun (“Mr. Queen”), and Uhm Ji Won (“Birthcare Center”). – Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/RC, GMA News