Jessi issued a public apology on October 12th via Instagram regarding the assault of a fan, referred to as “A,” by someone who was with her that night. “I sincerely apologize for causing concern to many people due to this incident,” Jessi wrote.
At the time of the altercation, Jessi was out with acquaintances when A approached her for a photo. “Since it was late at night, I declined twice, politely,” she explained. However, one of the people she was with assaulted A, an event that has since sparked controversy. “He was someone I had just met that evening. The suddenness of the situation left me shocked and overwhelmed,” she said, expressing regret for not being more attentive to the fan.
Jessi emphasized, “Regardless of the circumstances, I deeply regret that the fan experienced such an unfortunate incident, and I feel a moral responsibility for what happened.” She added that she had contacted the fan’s mother and was working to ensure the assailant apologizes, offers compensation, and faces appropriate legal consequences.
The rapper also addressed the media, requesting, “Please refrain from reporting based on speculation or one-sided claims regarding this matter.”
The incident, which occurred on September 29th in Seoul’s Apgujeong district, led A to file a police report against the assailant. However, the situation took a new turn when another individual, B, posted online claiming to have reported Jessi and her acquaintance to the police for “concealing and aiding a perpetrator.”
B alleged that the individual responsible for the assault was introduced to Jessi through a mutual connection—specifically, a producer close to her—and hinted that Jessi’s group may have lied to police. “They reportedly told the police they didn’t know the person involved,” B wrote. “That made the investigation go nowhere for over ten days. The assailant, a Chinese national, might have already left for his country.”
According to Korean law, concealing or aiding a criminal can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of 5 million KRW (approx. $3,700). B further alleged that Jessi initially tried to intervene during the assault but soon left the scene. “I don’t know if she just didn’t want to get involved, but I was really disappointed. I used to be a fan, but seeing her just stand there and do nothing was really upsetting,” B added.
The backlash intensified online, with netizens questioning the sincerity of Jessi’s statement. “If the person was introduced by a close producer, wouldn’t they still count as part of her group?” some commented. Others criticized both Jessi and her agency for what they perceived as an attempt to downplay the incident.
View this post on Instagram
