On Dec. 30, 2022, the Korean drama “The Glory,” was released and took South Korea by storm. The Kdrama revealed the dark side of the life of a student attending a Korean High School, where she was a victim of school violence. The main character was unable to report the bullying due to the distinct differences in their wealth and power. As of early September Kim Hieo-ra, an actress who portrayed the bully Lee Sa-ra in “The Glory,” was accused of school violence by her former classmates. The controversial situation led to further investigation, where it was revealed that Kim Hieo-ra was involved in a notorious school gang, the Big Sanji group. The gang was known for extorting money from students, bullying, verbal assaults, and blackmail.

However, Kim Hieo-ra and her agency, Gram Entertainment, denied all allegations and claimed that she was simply a bystander of the school violence, not a participant. Later, Kim Hieo-ra admitted to the accusations of extorting money from classmates but persisted in denying the other allegations.

On Sep. 13, Kim Hieo-ra officially apologized to the alleged victims through phone calls and in person, while one alleged victim dismissed her apology and refused to meet the actress. Both K-netizens and netizens are conflicted about the situation. While some defend her, others do not. 

“I’m not too sure about my stance on this situation, but if the allegations are true. I am deeply disappointed in the actress as she accepted the role of a bully,” Julie Koh (10) said.