K-drama actor Seo Ye Ji was once accused of gaslighting her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun, which triggered his hostile behaviour towards his Girls’ Generation co-star Seohyun. At the time, Dispatch dropped the alleged text exchange between the two, revealing that he was being “controlled” and “manipulated” by Seo. The two reportedly started dating in 2018 after working together on Stay With Me. Now, years after the controversy, Kim Jung Hyun has finally broken his silence. The scandal took a heavy toll on his career and public image. Kim admitted he felt wronged and deeply ashamed, but with time, realised it wasn’t as painful as it once seemed.
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Kim Jung Hyun opens up about Seo Ye Ji’s ‘gaslighting’ controversy
On June 13, 2025, Kim appeared as a guest on KBS2’s variety show Heart on Wheels. Host, Shin Dong Yup, mentioned that people sometimes go through times so tough that they feel too broken to get back up. Replying to that, Kim said, “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been through anything that difficult. There were no hardships. But at the time, I did feel wronged, deeply ashamed — there were definitely a lot of emotions.”
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He explained that if he had kept holding on to all that negativity, it would’ve only made things harder for him. “As time passed, I realised there was nothing truly difficult about it. What remained was just a matter of life or death.” So, he chose to live like nothing bad ever happened. “It’s not about denying the pain, but by living as if nothing bad ever happened, I’ve been able to meet better people and become healthier.”
Back in 2021, just months after Seo Ye Ji skyrocketed to global fame with her Netflix hit It’s Okay To Not Be Okay alongside Kim Soo Hyun, her career took a major hit with several allegations that nearly derailed her career. One of those accusations was allegedly controlling Kim Jung Hyun’s behaviour even while he was working. The term “gaslighting” blew up as people believed she was emotionally manipulating him. At the time, many pointed to how oddly Jung Hyun behaved with his co-star at the press conference for his drama Time. He looked cold, stiff, and distant throughout, even refusing to link arms with Seohyun — a common gesture in South Korea while promoting a show. Later, it was revealed he even behaved with hostility toward Seohyun on set. Dispatch, the South Korean news agency, exposed messages where Seo was reportedly instructing him to avoid physical contact with female co-stars. Fans even branded him with the nickname “Kim Ddak Ddak,” meaning stiff or rigid in Korean, mocking his behaviour.
However, Kim is now starting fresh. Back in May, he signed with a new agency, Management Siseon, and even won Best Actor at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards for Iron Family. While accepting the award, he said, “Receiving this award and expressing gratitude is something I must do, but true gratitude cannot be achieved without reflecting on the past. I deeply apologise for my past actions that hurt many people and caused discomfort.” The K-drama star rose to fame with shows like Mr. Queen, Crash Landing on You, Time, and Welcome to Waikiki. He is currently considering new roles.
