Singer Choi Tae Woong, who has been embroiled in a dispute over alleged school bullying with YouTuber Nareum—who has 2.63 million subscribers—has once again firmly denied the accusations, releasing a detailed public statement asserting that he never committed school violence.
On December 31, Choi Tae Woong shared a lengthy statement on his personal social media account, writing, “I am Choi Tae Woong, who has recently been identified online as a perpetrator of school violence from my elementary school days due to a video posted by YouTuber NareumTV. First of all, I sincerely apologize for causing confusion and discomfort to so many people.”
However, he continued, “As false claims about things I never did continue to be repeated as if they were facts, seriously damaging my life and reputation, I have concluded that I can no longer remain silent and am therefore stating my position.” He explicitly denied the allegations, saying, “The key points that NareumTV described as ‘clear facts’ in their video are not true.”
Refuting specific claims, Choi stated, “NareumTV said we were in the same class—Grade 4, Class 7—in 2003, but I was actually in Class 5 when I was in fourth grade. The only time we were classmates was in sixth grade. Therefore, the references to ‘Grade 4, Class 7’ and ‘2003’ are all incorrect.”
He also denied claims that he had led or operated an anti-fan café targeting NareumTV. “I have never created or operated such a café, nor have I ever written posts or comments there,” he said. Choi further asserted that he never received any direct messages from NareumTV via Facebook or other social media platforms, contrary to what was claimed.
According to Choi, the two were classmates in sixth grade when a group of female students took the lead in creating an anti-fan café targeting NareumTV. “Male students, including myself, were encouraged to join by the girls who were leading it. Some of us did join, but we had no intention of participating in harassment, so after joining, we never posted or commented, nor did we engage in any activity,” he explained.
He added that he was unaware of what went on inside the café. “Later, our homeroom teacher found out about the café and held a counseling session with the students who had joined and with NareumTV present. At that meeting, apologies were exchanged, and letters were written. I remember NareumTV also saying to the teacher that she understood the boys were not at fault. The café was subsequently shut down.”
Reflecting on his actions at the time, Choi said, “Looking back, I was very young and immature. I was the vice class president, so several classmates urged me, and I joined the café without fully thinking through the implications. I am ashamed of that thoughtless decision and continue to reflect on it.” He stressed again, “But as has been suggested, I never led, operated, or instigated school violence through that café.”
Choi expressed anguish over the situation, stating, “Without any proper verification of facts, I have already been branded as someone who created and ran an anti-fan café and led school violence. Enduring constant criticism for things I never did is extremely painful, and it is even more distressing to see my family and friends suffering because of this.”
He revealed that the situation has severely affected his mental health and daily life. “Due to anxiety and fear, it has become difficult to maintain a normal daily routine. To prevent further damage, I sought legal counsel and am currently in the process of filing a criminal complaint against NareumTV for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act for spreading false information.”
In closing, Choi said, “The current situation—where even false stories are being spread as facts and I am being labeled and attacked as a ‘ringleader of school violence’—has left me with wounds and pain that are hard to bear. Although NareumTV speaks as if their memories are perfect facts, even the specific dates and numbers they mention are incorrect, and most of the key claims are untrue.”
He concluded with a firm denial: “Above all, I did not commit school violence against NareumTV. I sincerely ask that people look calmly at the facts beyond the sensational language.”
Meanwhile, NareumTV recently claimed on social media that the person who created an anti-fan café targeting her during elementary school later debuted as an idol. In response, Choi Tae Woong posted an official statement from law firm Hwaon on his personal account, categorically denying the allegations.
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