[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun reporter] Allegations of school bullying against rapper Yang Hong-won have resurfaced.
On the 20th, a netizen identified as A posted on an online community claiming to have been a victim of bullying by Yang Hong-won. A said, "It is time to take revenge for the beatings I suffered in sixth grade and during middle and high school. I waited 16 years until Yang Hong-won started a family and tried to rise to the top. I was still afraid of the face and voice I saw on screen, and the trauma remains terrible. I had hoped to receive an apology after hearing that he would take responsibility for the past, but no message ever came."
A also vented, "I went to his office to try to contact him, but he disappeared. I left my number, and then he filed a complaint accusing me of stalking."
In response, Yang Hong-won's agency, AP Alchemy, countered, "Before posting the exposé, A had been continuously sending threatening messages to the artist and his family. Late at night, A broke into the artist's studio, smashed a mirror, and damaged the interior. A also sent a video showing the studio being vandalized, saying they were prepared to face criminal punishment, and hinted at further attacks."
The agency added, "We have filed a criminal complaint against A, and a police investigation is underway. Regardless of whether the school bullying rumors are true, the criminal acts described above are unacceptable."
Yang Hong-won is a rapper who rose to fame through Mnet's 'High School Rapper' and 'Show Me The Money.' However, controversy erupted after school bullying allegations surfaced and photos were leaked showing Yang Hong-seok drinking and smoking with friends at a karaoke room as a minor, along with making vulgar remarks. After winning 'High School Rapper,' Yang Hong-won admitted that he had been a perpetrator of school bullying and issued an official apology. It is not known whether his promise to apologize directly to the victims was kept.
He continued his career afterward, and in November last year, he welcomed a daughter, Yang Rua, with his wife, Won Hyun-joo. In May, he launched the YouTube channel 'Yang Hong-won's Parenting Diary' and has been sharing his daily life as a father. But with the bullying controversy reignited, not only is the hard-won image of a devoted dad taking a hit, but the everyday life of his daughter, whose face has also been revealed, is now at risk.
Baek Ji-eun reporter silk781220@sportschosun.com
