Amid emerging allegations about actor Hwang Jung-min's private life, claims have surfaced that person A, who initiated the exposé, also contacted Hwang Jung-min's son, who was a minor at the time, amplifying the fallout.
On the 29th, one outlet reported that A, whom Hwang Jung-min sued for stalking, sent SNS direct messages (DMs) to Hwang Jung-min's son, who was a minor at the time, during a dispute with the agency.
According to the report, A said there was a blog run solely by Hwang Jung-min and the two of them, and among about 100 posts she had written on that blog, 10 posts—including two short stories she submitted to literary contests—were leaked.
A said she tried to contact Hwang Jung-min and his agency to confirm how the leak occurred but received no response, and when contact was blocked she sent a DM asking that the content be passed on to Hwang Jung-min's son. A took the position that it was not a threat but "when all normal channels were blocked, I only requested that it be delivered."
Meanwhile, Hwang Jung-min's agency, Sam Company, described A as a suspect in a stalking crime and said, "Hwang Jung-min filed a criminal complaint against the writer, and the court issued provisional measures including three restraining orders and recognized the stalking charge, issuing a summary order of a 3 million won fine," the agency said.
Amid conflicting claims about the allegations surrounding Hwang Jung-min, his side has completely denied the allegations, calling A's exposé "maliciously edited."
The distributor-investor of the film 'Hope,' Plus M Entertainment, and the production company Forged Films issued a statement saying, "This matter concerns actor Hwang Jung-min being the victim of stalking with legal action already taken," and added, "However, A has maliciously highlighted edited content and sent emails to the companies, including the partners of 'Hope,' and repeatedly uploaded and deleted posts on social media defaming the actor and the film, causing interference with business."
They added, "She even showed moves to hinder the film's smooth run, including during the lead-up to the release and at critical box office turning points. This not only damages the overall 'Hope' project but also maliciously harms the reputations of those who worked hard on the film," and "the companies are actively considering legal action over the fact that 'Hope' was negatively affected and will continue to respond strongly to prevent additional damage."
Hwang Jung-min is proceeding with his scheduled appearances without cancellations. Shortly after the controversy, he attended the third-week stage greeting for 'Hope' at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall, and he is scheduled to meet fans in Busan and Daegu this weekend.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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