It was officially announced today (March 5) that Ji Soo is leaving his current drama River Where The Moon Rises.
The popular Korean actor was caught in multiple allegations of school violence earlier this week.
On March 4, he responded with a handwritten letter of apology for his past behaviour.
According to a report by a Korean entertainment portal, the producers of the drama are still undecided on how to proceed as 95% of the drama has been filmed already. It has aired six episodes out of 20 so far.
The production's statement reads: “Ji Soo, who has recently become the centre of controversy, will be stepping down from River Where The Moon Rises. We are currently in discussions with the production company about our next steps.”
The report continues that Na In-woo – recently seen in the series Mr Queen – is in talks to take over Ji Soo’s role.
Trouble started for Ji Soo when a post was uploaded on an online forum on March 2, stating that Ji Soo was a perpetrator of school violence.
The alleged schoolmate wrote: “Kim Ji-soo had a bigger build than the other kids his age at the time. Starting in his second year of middle school in 2007, he roamed the school as a delinquent and performed all sorts of bad deeds.”
This included forcing them to buy cigarettes and throwing food at students during lunch.
The person further added that Ji Soo carried around a BB gun and fired at students for fun.
After the first claim was uploaded, two more people came forward with claims that Ji Soo committed both physical violence and verbal abuse.
Ji Soo apologised by sharing a handwritten letter on his Instagram.
The translated apology, up on soompi.com, starts with the actor stating: “I sincerely apologise to the people who suffered because of me. There is no excuse for my past misconduct. They were things that cannot be forgiven.
"As I began my acting career, I received an undeserved amount of interest from the public with my past shrouded, and I think that’s how I ended up here today.
“However, there was always a part of me inside that felt guilty about the past, and my regret, which came too late for me to turn things back, always brought me a great deal of anxiety. I always felt crushed by my dark past.
“I want to express my deep atonement to the people who must have suffered for a long time while watching me go about my work as an actor, and I will reflect on and repent my past, which can never be washed away, for the rest of my life.”
Of late, there have been many Korean celebrities caught up in bullying accusations.
Among them are Naeun of girl group April, The Uncanny Counter actor Jo Byeong-gyu, girl group (G)I_DLE's Soojin, boy group Seventeen's Mingyu, Extracurricular actor Kim Dong-hee, Monsta X's Kihyun and former I.O.I member Kim So-hye.
Most of them have denied the allegations against them.
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