Seo Yea-ji Brings Up Ex Kim Jung-hyun — Gaslighting Talk Resurfaces

Actress Seo Yea-ji has stirred up buzz after directly addressing the name of her former boyfriend, Kim Jung-hyun.

On April 17, through a paid fan communication platform, Seo replied to a fan who mentioned Kim’s name in a message saying, “Whether it’s Kim Jung-hyun or Park Jung-hyun, just thinking of him makes me so mad.” Seo responded, “That name is banned. Stressful.”

Her candid response have since drawn mixed reactions: some are calling her refreshingly honest, while others view the comments as careless or unnecessary.

Earlier this month, Seo appeared as a host on SNL Korea Season 7, where she boldly referenced her past controversies through comedy skits. She remarked, “I’ll gaslight all the SNL crew and make this fun,” and corrected comedian Kim Won-hoon, who said his neck felt 'stiff', by interjecting, “You mean 'hard'.”

These jokes were seen as an attempt to confront the gaslighting allegations and past relationship controversies head-on through humor — though the approach was polarizing.

Seo Yea-ji previously faced intense public scrutiny over her past relationship with actor Kim Jung-hyun. She was accused of “gaslighting” him during the time he was filming the 2018 MBC drama 'Time'.

At the press conference for the drama, Kim caused a stir when he coldly rejected co-star Seohyun’s attempt to link arms and maintained an indifferent attitude throughout. Reports later suggested that Seo had allegedly instructed Kim to avoid physical contact or romantic scenes, pressuring him to act cold — earning him the nickname "Kim-ddak-ddak" (“Stiff Kim”) in the process. She was also accused of telling him to treat Seohyun and female staff members coldly on set.

Kim Jung-hyun later issued a public apology during the 2024 KBS Drama Awards recording, where he said, “There are many things I regret from the past. It’s weighed heavily on me. I wanted to offer a sincere apology.”

This comment was interpreted as an apology to Seohyun, who was serving as the event’s MC at the time.

However, even this gesture became a point of controversy, with some arguing that revisiting painful memories in such a public setting lacked consideration.

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