Exploring the Controversies Surrounding April’s Naeun: Allegations Resurface After KwakTube’s Deleted YouTube Video

Lee Naeun, the former member of the K-pop group APRIL, has once again become a focal point of controversy following past bullying allegations that were initially reported in 2020. On September 16, 2024, travel YouTuber KwakTube reignited the discussions surrounding these allegations with a video titled My First Romantic Week in Italy, featuring Naeun.

The clip captured their enjoyable time in Italy, but a dinner conversation shifted the focus back to Naeun’s controversial past. KwakTube, who has openly shared his own experiences as a victim of school bullying, admitted that he had initially blocked Naeun after coming across articles detailing the allegations against her.

The allegations centered around her purported mistreatment of fellow group member Lee Hyun-joo, who accused Naeun and other members of emotional and physical bullying. Hyun-joo alleged that the bullying began before the group’s debut in 2014 and persisted until her departure in 2016, during which she experienced verbal abuse, insults, harassment, and personal attacks against her family.

In light of these allegations, Lee Naeun, along with fellow members Lee Jin-sol, Kim Chae-won, and Yang Yena, denied the accusations. Legal actions were initiated; however, the prosecutors eventually dropped the charges against Hyun-joo’s brother and a former classmate due to a lack of concrete evidence to classify the situation as bullying despite recognizing the existence of interpersonal conflicts within the group.

KwakTube Issues an Apology Following Backlash from Video Featuring Naeun

The video released by KwakTube drew mixed reactions from viewers. Some criticized him for seemingly trying to rehabilitate Naeun’s image by discussing allegations that had already been cleared, while others questioned why a bullying victim would endorse someone accused of such behavior. As backlash intensified, KwakTube removed the video and issued a public apology.

In his apology, he expressed regret for initially blocking her after realizing that the rumors were unfounded, acknowledging that his actions could have inadvertently harmed her despite her innocence. Naeun responded by sharing that it was painful to be misunderstood and ostracized by individuals, including KwakTube, but she had learned to cope over time.

In his statement, he recognized that he should have been more considerate about the consequences of featuring Naeun and committed to being more diligent with his content in the future.

“There were aspects within this video that I failed to consider deeply. I will reflect more carefully to ensure my personal opinions do not become the views of others. I will pay greater attention to content creation moving forward,”KwakTube stated.

Despite his apology, some viewers continued to express their disappointment, leading some to announce their decision to unsubscribe from his channel.

The singer known for her song My Story faced school bullying accusations from an individual outside the group as well; however, those claims were proven to be false and the individual was charged with defamation. Despite the legal outcomes, these controversies adversely impacted APRIL’s reputation, culminating in the group’s disbandment in early 2022 after enduring months of internal struggles and public scrutiny.

Post-disbandment in 2022, Naeun transitioned into acting, signing with Namoo Actors, yet the repercussions of the bullying scandal continue to cast a shadow over her career.

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