Actress Seo Shin Ae Fires Back At (G)I-DLE’s Soojin, Claiming Soojin Bullied Her For Two Years
Actress Seo Shin Ae has fired back at (G)I-DLE‘s Soojin, claiming the idol has allegedly bullied her and said rude things to her for two years straight during middle school.
In a post on her personal Instagram account, Seo Shin Ae directed her comments toward “the person who has brought up [her] name,” referring to Soojin and her post made on (G)I-DLE’s fan platform last week.
Hello, this is actress Seo Shin Ae.
Ten years ago, I was a young and had no courage. But if I hesitate and get scared again, I would feel disappointed in myself and be full of regret in the future. So I decided to be brave this time.
I have been active in the entertainment industry since I was young, but at school, I was an ordinary student just like everyone else. I transferred middle schools in the first semester of 8th grade, and I tried to get along well with my classmates.
The person who has brought up my name would constantly do nasty things, criticize me, make personal attacks, and laugh at me almost every day with her group of friends, whether I was on my way to school, in the hallways during break, or in the cafeteria. They would say things such as ‘She’s not even that pretty, how can she be a celebrity?’ ‘Whatever, she’s just a washed-up celebrity,’ ‘She’s just an outcast,’ and ‘What do the teachers even like about her, why does she get special treatment?’
I get that they may have been jealous and envious because they were also young. The things they said may have been thoughtless comments that didn’t really carry much meaning. But those words hurt me deeply and they still remain with me. Those words bruised me and my fear of people began to grow. It’s also true that fear can turn into trauma and that led to me having an introverted personality, which became a major obstacle for me in high school. I’ve realized that not only physical abuse, but also mental abuse can scar a person for life.
She says she doesn’t remember and that she never talked to me — and that’s right. It was always a one-sided affair with her insults. It is regretful that she came to the conclusion that the contemptuous remarks and actions she made within her group weren’t true. And I don’t know what evidence or witnesses she has, but I want to ask whether her selective memories are genuine enough to explain everything I am mentioning.
— Seo Shin Ae
Seo Shin Ae then concluded her post by sending a message of hope to students who may be victim to school bullying, encouraging them to speak out about it.
If there is anyone currently struggling with school violence, please be brave and ask for help. I couldn’t do it and I believed things would get better over time. But I’m realizing nothing has gotten better.
I am sorry that this incident has concerned many people. Going forward, I hope to see everyone again via various activities as an actress, and not over my personal matters. With April coming soon, I hope everyone will have a good month. And even though we’re all exhausted from the coronavirus, I hope we can find the strength to carry on. Thank you.
— Seo Shin Ae
Last month, Seo Shin Ae uploaded a post hinting that she was allegedly bullied by Soojin. Soojin denied the claims and called out Seo Shin Ae to explain herself.
