KOREA: As reported by The Korea Herald, a group of fallen South Korean stars are making a comeback after some major failures. Following a series of media backlashes, actress Seo Ye-Ji has recently returned to TV. It was alleged that she abused staff, falsified her academic credentials, became a school bully, and pressured her then-boyfriend, actor Kim Hyun, to cut romantic scenes and have physical contact with a female co-star.
There were also rumours of alleged romantic ties to actor Kim Soo-hyun and Lee Ro-be, the co-founder and co-executive producer of Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist. Popular for roles in “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” “Save Me,” and “Eve,” Seo has since faced backlash, which led to an extended hiatus. The actress made a small screen return on March 30. This is the first time since the accusations began in 2021.
She visited Wonju, a city in Gangwon province, as a guest on the long-running culinary travel show “Huh Young Man’s Food Travel” with host Huh Young-man.
Controversies of celebrity guests
The actress is said to host the second episode of “SNL Korea” Season 7, which is famous for its satire and confronts the controversies of celebrity guests. On Saturday, the episode is scheduled to stream on Coupang Play.
In February, actor Yoo Ah-in was released after serving five months on drug-related charges. He has made a comeback in the show business. “The Match,” a drama film based on the real-life story of legendary baduk, or Go, will see Yoo starring opposite Lee Byung-hun. The drama film is about Go players Lee Chang-ho and Cho Hoon-hyun.
First appearance since his scandal
In 2021, the production of “The Match” was completed, but after Yoo was charged with drug offences, the release was indefinitely shelved. Netflix was slated to distribute the film but decided not to release it. Local studio BY4M Studio then picked it up for a theatrical rollout. It marked Yoo’s first screen appearance since his scandal.
Actress Kim Hieora, who played Lee Sa-ra in the hit Netflix drama, “The Glory“, is also returning to the entertainment world. The actress was accused of bullying other students in her middle school years. The accusations hit hard since the premise of “The Glory” focuses on a woman seeking revenge against those who bullied her at school.
Return to the big screen
This year, Kim makes a return to the big screen later this year with the occult thriller, “The Savior.” Entangled in supernatural chaos, Choon-seo, played by Kim, is a single mother. Following the controversy, this is Kim’s first film project in two years.
Famous for “Whispering Corridors” and “Couple or Trouble“, Park Han-byul has made a comeback to TV. Her husband, Yoo In-suk, was implicated in the Burning Sun scandal, where a network of celebrities was accused of crimes ranging from recording illicit videos without consent to indecent assault and prostitution.
Alongside former BIGBANG member Seungri, Yoo was reportedly a key figure in the case. On Wednesday, Park returned to TV through the tvN entertainment show, “Father and I“, where she admitted the toll the scandal had upon her life. In the episode, the actress wept as she talked about her relationship with her father. She said she was overwhelmed with grief and it came to the point that she wondered if things would only end if she died. There was nothing she could do.