Jo Byeong Gyu hit with multiple bullying allegations

[fritterish.livejournal.com]

Back on February 16, someone called “A” uploaded a post online claiming to have been bullied by Jo Byeong Gyu while they were at school in New Zealand together. The next day, Jo Byeong Gyu’s agency requested a police investigation into the post for spreading false rumors, and it was later revealed that the creator of the post had apologized and taken their post down.

On February 17, a different online user known as “B” wrote a post accusing Jo Byeong Gyu of being a delinquent and a bully during elementary and middle school. Another online user, “C,” claimed to be a classmate of Jo Byeong Gyu and denied the allegations that Jo Byeong Gyu was a school bully. In response to “B’s” post, HB Entertainment reiterated their intention to take strong legal action against both the first and second posters of false rumors.

On February 19, HB Entertainment released the following statement.

Hello, this is HB Entertainment.

This is our additional official statement on the false rumors and malicious comments that are currently spreading about actor Jo Byeong Gyu.

First, we have checked with the actor and confirmed that all the posts and rumors that are circulating online are false. Earlier, on February 17, the agency announced our intention to pursue legal action against those who spread false rumors and defaming comments about Jo Byeong Gyu.

As the attached document shows, after the agency’s statement was released, the spreader of the false rumor (“A”) promised to reflect on their actions and prevent such a thing from occurring again and requested lenient treatment. However, since we have evidence that those who spread recklessly false information about Jo Byeong Gyu with malicious intent have committed contempt and defamation under the criminal code and the Act on the Promotion of the Use of Information and Communication Networks and the Protection of Information, we requested an official police investigation and the Gangnam Police Station’s cyber investigation unit is currently handling the investigation.

We inform all netizens that we will not overlook those who spread and/or post malicious comments and posts on forums, online communities, portal sites, and social media that go beyond expressing one’s own opinion or what is considered socially acceptable.

HB Entertainment will continue to collect evidence and monitor online so that further damage does not occur to our artists. We will take strong legal action without negotiation or lenient treatment so that people can be held responsible for their actions.

[Jo Byeong Gyu], who endured a long period of obscurity and is just now starting to get his moment in the spotlight, is going through a hard time. As the people who are in charge of looking after him, the agency regrets this very much.

However, we intend to overcome this with the trust of fans who continue to send in their love and support for Jo Byeong Gyu without a change of heart. We ask for your warm comfort so that actors will no longer receive harm from these malicious comments and posts.

Thank you.

Also on February 19, another online user (henceforth known as “D”) wrote a post claiming to have been bullied by Jo Byeong Gyu in New Zealand. “D” claimed to have attended the same school as Jo Byeong Gyu in New Zealand. “D” said that he had been strong-armed into going to karaoke with Jo Byeong Gyu and his friends and that he was forced to pay for the whole thing himself. “D” further alleged that Jo Byeong Gyu had hit him hard with the microphone when he refused to sing.

Other allegations made by “D” include Jo Byeong Gyu wrecking his school project, kicking him or hitting him with whatever he happened to have in hand, getting cornered after school assemblies and being threatened and sworn at, and being forced to pay for snacks despite being poor. “D” also claimed that Jo Byeong Gyu had smoked cigarettes and dated around, and shared a photo of Jo Byeong Gyu at a track and field event at the school as evidence that they had attended the same school.

Source: Soompi citing Sports Donga, Naver (1) & (2); See also Soompi 1 & 2

the first one was allegedly a fake, but two others have posted as well. Plus he had a similar allegation in 2018 too. yikes, i really liked his dramas

Comments

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

I have no idea who this actor his or his past /present how he is.
But one thing I will never understand, being a victim of bullying myself, is why kids seem to enjoy bullying so much? Kids have to understand bullying can leave huge scars on people and it may take years for people to move on, sometimes you never forget. And sometimes bullying can have extreme horrible consequences for the victim.
Even in today's society it's (I live in Portugal so I can only speak about my country) it's like it's taboo to speak about bullying. It's like it doesn't exist and I will never get why! I'm not even talking physically, but mentally it can destroy someone to the point they lose all self confidence.
I was lucky that my parents caught on and were/are an amazing support system and pulled me out of that environment before I did something I couldn't take back.

The smoking and dating part doesn't surprise me, teens being teens. I smoked a lot too, it kinda helped me control my anxiety back then (or so I thought)

I won't allongate myself in this comment, but I hope he realizes what he did and personally apologizes to the ones he hurt

[kyungwons.livejournal.com]

i really don't think some kids think at all about the consequences of bullying when they're doing it like one of the people who bullied me in high school tried to add me on social media and catch up maybe 2/3 years after leaving high school and they were acting like we had been casual friends or something when they'd made my life miserable and it really made me realise how different their perspective can be and how they can just rewrite the reality of what actually happened in their memories its scary

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

Right? Same happened to me!

After like 6/7 years of high school one of my bullies added me on Instagram and wanted to go out with me. It was like what he did to me never happened?! How can you erase something like that? It's like they change their perception of what happened and it was just "teen stuff" and nothing more

[kyungwons.livejournal.com]

you're totally right about them writing it off as "teen stuff" like i would be willing to forgive the people who bullied me as a teen now if they were willing to take accountability and responsibility for it but they never do they definitely think it was a normal part of being a teenager and therefore it doesnt matter like even if you couldnt see the consequences of bullying someone as a teenager you should be able to see it as an adult but that rarely ever happens

[kyungwons.livejournal.com]

ugh i liked him. the last allegation being so specific and someone making allegations of bullying before he had even broke out as an actor recently really makes me inclined to believe it. sadly i think he'll be able to brush these off and it wont affect his career but i'll be avoiding his projects in the future.

[broadcities.livejournal.com]

yikes i liked him in the dramas i've seen with him. the uncanny counter even has a pretty big storyline around bullying and his role is kind of like a savior in that whole situation...

there's so many actors and idols with bullying and school violence accusations

[fritterish.livejournal.com]

yeah, i can’t imagine how the victims must have felt when they knew that his role was someone who was bullied.

yes. agencies must not really bat an eye whenever they discover their trainee/prospective trainee as a bully