Nam Joo-hyuk attends script reading for Vigilante amidst bullying controversy 

Despite being embroiled in an ongoing school bullying controversy, actor Nam Joo-hyuk will go ahead with the script reading for the eagerly anticipated drama series Vigilante, according to several South Korean media outlets.

Based on a popular Webtoon of the same name and written by Kim Kyu-sam, Vigilante follows the story of Ji Yong, a mysterious young man and vigilante. His identity is unearthed by reporter Mi Ryeo, and the veiled vigilante is revealed to be a police college student who tracks down and punishes criminals over the weekends. His actions are tracked by reporter Choi Mi-ryeo and Metropolitan Investigation Unit’s Jo Heon.

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Vigilante held a script reading on July 18 with Nam Joo-hyuk in attendance

According to several South Korean news outlets, including the YTN Star, Vigilante held their first script reading on July 18. The main cast for the show includes Nam Joo-hyuk, who plays the eponymous vigilante and police college student Ji Yong. The drama also stars Yoo Ji-tae and Lee Joon-hyuk.

The news of the Start Up star attending the script reading for the show surprised many followers of Korean entertainment because of his recent involvement in a huge school bullying scandal.

On June 20, an anonymous informant, who claimed to be a former classmate of the actor, accused him of being a bully throughout middle and high school. To back up their accusations, the anonymous netizen shared pictures of Nam Joo-hyuk from Suil High School's 2013 yearbook, of which the actor is an alumnus.

Among the accusations were claims that the actor bullied students by beating them up, taking their money by force, using coarse language, and being part of a gang.

Following these accusations, the Korean public was, and still is, firmly divided into two camps. While some believe that the actor should be made to pay for his past actions, several others treated the claims with some doubt.

However, a second wave of allegations was brought out against the Twenty-Five, Twenty-One actor after a past video of him and Bae Suzy resurfaced. In the clip, the two actors are seen on the rooftop of a building as they get ready to film a kissing scene.

However, after the first take, Nam Joo-hyuk makes a few backhanded comments about Bae Suzy's lunch. The seemingly innocuous interaction landed the actor in trouble, with many accusing of him of being rude.

Eventually, media outlet Dispatch came to the actor's rescue. The agency interviewed around twenty of the actor’s former classmates and teachers, all of whom spoke in his favor.

Though public opinion about the actor might still be divided, the anticipation for Vigilante, both in South Korea and internationally, will probably not dissipate.