Actress Ko Min-si has officially denied school bullying allegations and attempted to resume her career, yet she continues to be notably absent from official public events.
On the morning of the 28th, a press conference for the Netflix series ‘Honey Part-time Job’ was held at the Fairmont Ambassador Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Da-min, general planning producer Han Jun-hee, and actors Kim Min-ha and Lee Hee-jun attended the event to share stories about the production.
‘Honey Part-time Job’ is a survival-type comedy-horror series about a young man named Hyuk-jun (played by Lee Jae-wook) who enters a bizarre human resources agency offering high-paying jobs starting at 50 times the standard wage, only to be thrown into a nightmarish labor environment. While Lee Jae-wook could not attend due to his mandatory military service, another lead star, Ko Min-si, was also missing from the event, drawing curiosity.
Regarding this, her agency Mystic Actors previously stated, “She was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts caused by an ongoing drama shoot.” However, questions remain as Ko Min-si also skipped the 31st Busan International Film Festival events held last month.
At the time, ‘Honey Part-time Job’ was invited to the ‘On Screen’ section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, and cast members including Kim Min-ha, Lee Hee-jun, Yoon Kyung-ho, and director Kim Da-min visited Busan. With Lee Jae-wook even taking a vacation from the military to sit in the audience, Ko Min-si’s absence became even more conspicuous. Consequently, speculation has arisen suggesting that her avoidance of public appearances might be linked to the school bullying controversy that emerged last year.
In May of last year, online communities featured posts alleging middle school bullying by Ko Min-si. Individuals claiming to be her former classmates asserted that Ko Min-si had been involved in physical assault, extortion, and verbal abuse alongside a group of friends. In response, her agency firmly stated, “These claims are completely false and groundless. We express deep concern and regret that malicious posts based on falsehoods are tarnishing our artist’s reputation. We have appointed legal counsel today and have initiated a review of and legal action for civil and criminal liabilities.”
Ko Min-si had previously faced underage drinking suspicions back in 2021. At the time, she admitted to the underage drinking facts and apologized, stating, “Without any denial, the person in the photo is indeed me. I recognize that my past actions were wrong and take full responsibility for my past self.” Amidst these circumstances, the school bullying allegations dealt another severe blow to her career. While she denied the allegations and proceeded with scheduled upcoming projects like ‘Honey Part-time Job’, she saw her casting fall through for the Hong sisters’ new project ‘Grand Galaxy Hotel’ and skipped brand events citing reasons of altered event intentions.
Notably, in August of last year, Ko Min-si posted a direct statement saying, “I state definitively that I have never committed school violence. The identity of the person claiming to be a victim has not been verified, and there are no clear circumstances to prove school violence. I have submitted all data proving that I am not a perpetrator, and investigations are underway. I will hold malicious false exposures legally accountable to the end. I hope everyone realizes the cruelty of an internet society where falsehoods are stated as facts. The truth will definitely be revealed.”
Remaining silent with sparse social media activity afterward, Ko Min-si signaled her return to activities this January by announcing her casting in the film ‘Moral Family’. Nevertheless, ongoing attention focuses on her future path as she has yet to stand in front of the public and reporters even once since the controversies broke out.
