An anonymous online post claiming an actor’s agency paid 8 million won ($5,800) in “hush money” has spiraled into a wider controversy, with several uninvolved celebrities being forced to deny their involvement as online speculation runs rampant. The original post has since been deleted, drawing further attention to the situation.
The controversy began on July 28th, when a post appeared on the anonymous workplace community app, Blind. The author claimed she received an 8 million won payment from her ex-boyfriend’s agency as a “consolation fee” to remain silent about beginning a new relationship before their breakup. The post quickly spread across various online communities.
Due to the details in the post, netizens began speculating on the actor’s identity, naming several celebrities with their initials and causing harm to innocent parties, raising concerns about secondary damage. Lee Jang Woo even posted a public plea, writing, “That’s not me. Please stop calling. I’m trying to work.”
On Ju Wan‘s agency also told Xportsnews, “The actor in the rumor is not On Ju Wan. He is completely unrelated.” Both Lee Jang Woo and On Ju Wan are set to be married in November, to actresses Jo Hye Won and Minah, respectively.
In the original post, titled “My ex-boyfriend’s agency sent me 8 million won,” the author wrote, “They contacted me saying he’s going to reveal his wedding preparations with his new girlfriend on a variety show within six months, and the timeline won’t add up… they offered 8 million won as a ‘consolation fee’ in advance, which is basically just hush money.”
This led netizens to speculate about actors who are getting married soon.
The author continued, “When I asked them to be direct, they said the dates might overlap with before he and I broke up. It means he either cheated or started dating her immediately after… They asked me not to mention it and said I wasn’t planning to marry him anyway. (I had sometimes said we should think more about marriage. He wasn’t a great guy.) Should I return the 8 million won?” she wrote, asking for advice.
She concluded, “Whether I broke up with him or not, that’s between us… but to find out he was two-timing me and then to be offered 8 million won to shut up about it—don’t I have the right to refuse? I’m so angry, sad, and hurt… I don’t think I can go to work tomorrow, so I’ve already requested a day off.”
While the post’s authenticity was not verified, the author added in the comments, “He’s not a top-tier star, but he’s an actor most people over 30 would recognize,” which fueled further speculation.
Currently, the names of Lee Min Woo, Lee Jang Woo, On Joo Wan and several other male celebrities are circulating. Some are concerned that more innocent victims may emerge.
However, the original post has been deleted as of July 30th. The link now displays a message stating, “This post has been deleted by the author,” and it no longer appears in searches on the app.
With the online witch hunt spreading, the deletion of the post has focused attention on how the controversy will unfold from here.
>> Lee Jang Woo Confirms His Relationship With Actress Jo Hye Won
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