5 Biggest Celebrity Scandals and Dramas of Early 2024: Breakups, Rumors and More

korean celebrity scandal 2024
korean celebrity scandal 2024
Credit: MHN Sports, Newsis, News1, Kingkong by Starship

As expected, the first half of the year in the entertainment industry was filled with its fair share of buzz and mishaps. From celebrities openly sharing their breakups to rumors of unexpected romances, the lines between personal lives and the public eye blurred more than ever. From DUIs to school violence to dating dramas, here are all the biggest scandals and dramas that went down in the first half of 2024.

The Whirlwind Romance of Ryu Jun Yeol and Han So Hee: From Dating Rumors to Breakup
Han So Hee Ryu Jun Yeol
Credit: OSEN

Back in March, dating rumors swirled around actors Ryu Jun Yeol and Han So Hee. Their agencies stayed quiet, saying they cannot comment on their “private lives.” But things got messy when Ryu Jun Yeol’s ex-girlfriend, actress Hyeri, posted a cryptic message on social media. She wrote, “This is interesting,” as soon as the dating news broke, sparking rumors of a rebound relationship. Later that day, Han So Hee added fuel to the fire with a post about liking dating shows involving rebound relationships but not wanting it in her life. She ended her short letter with a feisty “I’m having fun too!” Some thought her response was a bit much, and she apologized for losing her cool. A few days later, Ryu Jun Yeol’s agency finally confirmed the relationship and announced a warning against hate comments.

Hyeri, silent for a few days, finally addressed the situation. She apologized for the drama caused by her personal feelings and explained that she and Ryu Jun Yeol had broken up in November after eight years together. They talked about getting back together briefly but ultimately went their separate ways. “Four months later, it felt like I wasn’t even me anymore,” she said about the rumors. Just when things seemed to calm down, Han So Hee questioned why Hyeri found it so “interesting” that her ex-boyfriend had a new girlfriend. She wondered why the media labeled it a rebound relationship and why Ryu Jun Yeol stayed silent. Ten minutes later, the post vanished, and her agency soon confirmed their breakup with Ryu Jun Yeol. And that’s how their whirlwind romance fizzled out after just two weeks.

Kim Sae Ron Sparks Dating Rumors with Kim Soo Hyun After Controversial Instagram Post
Kim Sae Ron Kim Soo Hyun
Credit: Kim Sae Ron’s Instagram
Kim Sae Ron caused a stir on social media with an Instagram story update that hinted at a possible relationship with actor Kim Soo Hyun.
On March 24th at dawn, she uploaded a questionable photo taken with Kim Soo Hyun. It was deleted in about 3 minutes, but it had already spread rapidly online. In the photo, the two were looking at the camera with their faces close together. Kim Sae Ron winked, and Kim Soo Hyun’s eyes were slightly open. At the time, Kim Soo Hyun was starring in tvN’s Queen of Tears with Kim Ji Won. Kim Sae Ron had been on hiatus since her DUI incident in 2022. Kim Soo Hyun’s agency said, “It appears to have been taken when they were at the same agency in the past. We don’t know why Kim Sae Ron posted the photo.”
Aespa’s Karina and Lee Jae Wook’s Brief Romance: From Public Apology to Breakup
Lee Jae Wook Karina
Credit: Hankyung

Even top idol members can’t escape dating rumors. In February, Dispatch reported that aespa’s Karina and actor Lee Jae Wook were in a romantic relationship. Both agencies quickly acknowledged the relationship, stating that they were “getting to know each other.”

What made this dating rumor strange was Karina’s “apology letter.” On March 5th, she posted a handwritten letter on her Instagram, saying, “I’m so sorry for surprising you all. I’m writing this even though I’m worried that it might hurt you again because I wanted to sincerely apologize to the fans who have given me the warmest winter since my debut. I want to heal the hurt parts well in the future. I’ve always been sincere with my fans. And even now, every one of you is really precious to me.” It was unusual for a celebrity to apologize for dating rumors. And then a month later, on April 2nd, the two announced their breakup after just five weeks of public dating.

Bullying Allegations Against Actress Song Ha Yoon: An Informant’s Claim and Agency’s Response

School bullying allegations were back in the spotlight involving popular actresses. On April 1st, JTBC reported receiving disturbing information about a celebrity who recently portrayed a villain in a popular drama. They reported that an anonymous informant came forward and claimed they were bullied by the actress back in August 2004 when they were juniors in high school. According to the informant, the actress, who was a senior at the time, called them out and slapped them for roughly an hour and a half. The informant alleged she was involved in other bullying incidents and was eventually forced to transfer schools. He further claimed he never received an apology for the assault.

The informant reportedly reached out to the star’s agency regarding the allegations. However, he was told the actress was unreachable due to an overseas schedule. The informant also mentioned an offer from the agency: a face-to-face meeting with the actress in the U.S., with the agency covering travel expenses. The informant declined, stating he wanted to know her take on the situation and didn’t want to meet her in person.

Following the JTBC broadcast, netizens speculated that the accused actress might be Song Ha Yoon from tvN’s Marry My Husband. Her agency responded by requesting a meeting with the informant to verify the claims. However, the informant refused, and subsequent attempts to reach him by phone proved unsuccessful. The agency then confirmed with Song Ha Yoon that she had never met the informant and denied all accusations of bullying.

JTBC did a follow-up report. The informant questioned the agency’s claim of them never meeting, stating, “There’s no way she wouldn’t know who I am. Why else would she offer to fly me to the U.S. and cover my travel expenses?” The agency maintained their stance, claiming Song Ha Yoon’s transfer was due to a separate bullying incident involving her friend.

Who Stole the Late Goo Hara’s Safe?

On June 23rd, SBS’s investigative program Unanswered Questions covered the 2020 theft of Goo Hara‘s safe from her home in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong neighborhood. According to the program, Goo Hara’s older brother, Goo Ho In, had been staying at his sister’s house when he returned to his own home on January 13, 2020, after attending her 49th-day memorial service. The following day, an unidentified man broke into Goo Hara’s house and stole her personal safe. However, Goo Ho In did not discover the theft until two months later, and without any conclusive evidence, the case fell into a cold spell. Fortunately, the contents of the safe, including Goo Hara’s old mobile phone and real estate registration documents, had already been removed by Goo Ho In.

Unanswered Questions released a detailed description of the suspect, including a composite sketch and physical characteristics based on CCTV footage. The suspect was described as a male, approximately 180 cm tall with a slender build, and estimated to be in his late 20s to early 30s at the time of the crime. He was also wearing glasses with side arms.

>> Will Goo Hara’s Safe Thief Be Caught? New Suspect Sketch Unveiled After 4 Years

The plot thickened further when outlandish rumors surfaced in some online communities. These rumors pointed the finger at Zico as the culprit behind the safe theft. KOZ Entertainment, Zico’s agency, was quick to shut down these claims. They released a statement on the morning of the 24th. They firmly denied the accusations, calling them “malicious rumors” and stating they had filed a complaint with the authorities. Despite their efforts to clear Zico’s name, the true identity of the thief remains a mystery.

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