Actress Cha Ye Ryun Faces School Bullying Allegations; YouTube Channel Disables Comments

The controversy erupted on October 29 when an anonymous user posted on the Korean online community Nate Pann, titled 'Please Stop Working, Actress Born in 1985 Who Was a School Bullying Perpetrator,' alleging that the accused had bullied a schoolmate severely enough to cause a ruptured eardrum. Although the post did not name the actress directly, online users identified her as Cha Ye Ryun based on clues such as her birth year and the name of the middle school she attended. On November 1, the production team of Cha Ye Ryun's YouTube channel 'Cha Jang Geum Cha Ye Ryun' issued an official statement explaining that they had disabled comments on certain videos and restricted access to specific content to prevent the spread of rumors and personal attacks on her family. The production team clarified that YouTube comment management decisions are made by the production team independently, without involvement from Cha Ye Ryun herself. Her agency, HB Entertainment, dismissed the allegations as entirely groundless. Despite the agency's denial, additional posts from individuals claiming to have attended school with Cha Ye Ryun surfaced online, keeping the controversy alive. On November 2, the original post was temporarily blocked from access on Nate Pann following an application of Article 44-2 of South Korea's Information and Communications Network Act, which allows platforms to restrict content following complaints of personal rights violations. However, this action does not establish whether the allegations are true or false. The controversy has also drawn attention to Cha Ye Ryun's husband, actor Joo Sang Wook. In July 2026, during an interview about the SBS drama 'Agent Kim Reactivated,' Joo discussed his role as a father who covers up his daughter's involvement in school bullying, a detail that has resurfaced amid the current allegations and fueled online commentary.