The most famous case of bullying in K-Pop.
In the late 1990s, a pioneering mixed-gender K-Pop group called Sharp (also known as S#arp) emerged. The group consisted of Lee Ji Hye, Seo Ji Young, John Kim, and Oh Hee Jong. The two men later left the group after the first album. Joined by Seokhyun and Chris for the second album on, the group went on to release 5 more albums before disbanding in 2002.
In a 2021 episode of Master in the House, Lee Ji Hye finally addressed the long-standing question about her former group’s disbandment, confirming what fans had speculated for years: the internal conflict stemmed from fellow member Seo Ji Young. It was the first time she publicly acknowledged the root of the issue on national television.
During the group’s rise, Lee Ji Hye gained recognition for her looks and vocal ability, which reportedly sparked jealousy from Seo Ji Young, whose family had played a key role in the group’s formation and support. This envy allegedly led to Lee being pushed out socially by the other members under Seo’s influence. Things escalated during a heated elevator exchange where Seo taunted Lee with a mocking song. Lee, unable to take it any longer, snapped—allegedly hitting Seo twice after confronting her.
Though Lee Ji Hye apologized to both Seo Ji Young and her parents the following day, Seo’s father insisted on a public apology involving both Lee and her own father, which they agreed to. But the tension didn’t stop there. Lee was reportedly ignored at a broadcast station and even threatened by Seo’s then-boyfriend. Seo’s mother was also said to have confronted her in person at the station. The situation spiraled further when Seo Ji Young’s family held a press conference in an attempt to force Lee out of the group. During this event, Seo claimed that Lee had hit her over seven times and denied ever verbally attacking her.
Fortunately, their manager came to Lee’s defense, dismissing the exaggerations and sarcastically noting that unless Lee had boxing training, such repeated strikes would have been unlikely. He also expressed willingness to bring forward witnesses regarding the alleged verbal abuse.
The standoff ended when Seo abruptly left the press conference, unable to refute the counterclaims. Public opinion shifted in support of Lee Ji Hye. Despite this, the group parted ways in 2002. Years later, however, the two appeared to reconcile and were even seen together in 2024. Read more about their current relationship below.
Victim Of The “Worst Bullying Scandal” In K-Pop Appears With Her Bully For The First Time In 15 Years
