South Korean actress Hong Ye-ji (홍예지) recently revealed a malicious direct message (DM) she received from a hater. The sender not only accused her of deliberately creating dating rumors and using them for publicity but also demanded she stop associating with a certain male celebrity. Unable to tolerate the harassment, Hong Ye-ji publicly shared a screenshot of the message, sparking heated discussion online.
On the 30th, Hong Ye-ji posted a screenshot of the DM on her personal social media. The sender began by stating, “I don’t dislike you, nor do I particularly follow you.” However, the message quickly turned accusatory, questioning Hong Ye-ji’s perceived avoidance of mentioning a particular male celebrity. The sender wrote, “Your constant deliberate avoidance of mentioning XXX makes it seem like you’re intentionally creating ‘self-produced dating rumors,’ which is very off-putting.”
The message continued, “That ambiguous attitude always leads to external speculation, and I truly dislike it. If you’re trying to associate with him in any way, please don’t even try a little bit.”
The sender concluded with disrespectful remarks, expressing hope that the male celebrity would successfully complete his projects and continue his acting career, adding, “Don’t let yourself become a blemish or noise in his career.” The message even dared her, “Just stay in your original place and live your own life.”
Although Hong Ye-ji redacted all names and project titles mentioned in the DM, many Korean netizens speculated that the sender was likely a fan of singer and actor Park Ji-hoon (박지훈), based on the content.
Hong Ye-ji co-starred with Park Ji-hoon in the 2024 K-drama “Love Song for Illusion” (환상연가). Their on-screen collaboration garnered significant attention and even sparked dating rumors, though neither party ever confirmed or denied the reports.
This is not the first time Hong Ye-ji has faced malicious attacks. Her agency issued a statement in May, announcing legal action against persistent malicious comments, personal attacks, and the spread of false rumors targeting Hong Ye-ji on social media and online forums. The agency emphasized that it would not tolerate any actions damaging the artist’s reputation or infringing upon her rights, and would not accept settlements or leniency.
Following the incident, the Korean online community erupted in discussion, with many netizens criticizing the extreme behavior of some fans. Comments included: “Fans who get overly invested in actors are already exaggerated, but when idols start acting, their fans’ investment multiplies several times over.” “Even Park Ji-hoon’s mother wouldn’t act like this.” “These ‘son-mom fans’ are truly terrifying.” “They get criticized for mentioning him, and criticized for not mentioning him. What are they supposed to do?”
“Before, other idol actors just posted drama stills with actresses and got slammed by fans. If they’re so sensitive, how are they supposed to follow actors?” “Recently, fans who got into idols through their acting activities are particularly over-the-top.” “I like Park Ji-hoon, but his fandom definitely has quite a few overreacting people.” “They tell their idol to ‘embrace their brightest moment’ but tell the actress to ‘stay in her place.’ The double standard is truly outrageous.” “Every time some older female fans get obsessed with male actors, they start acting like mothers-in-law, controlling everything. I’m really tired of it.”
