What were the allegations against April's Naeun? Singer’s past controversy reignites after KwakTube's now-deleted YouTube video

Lee Naeun, former member of K-pop group APRIL, has found herself in the spotlight again due to past bullying allegations that first surfaced in 2020. On September 16, 2024, the controversy surrounding Lee Naeun was reignited after travel YouTuber KwakTube posted a video titled My First Romantic Week in Italy, featuring the star.

The video showed the two enjoying their trip in Italy, but a conversation during dinner turned attention back to Naeun's past. KwakTube, who has publicly shared his own experiences of being a school bullying victim, admitted that he initially blocked her after reading articles about the bullying allegations against her.

The bullying claims were centered around her alleged mistreatment of fellow group member Lee Hyun-joo, who accused Naeun and other members of bullying her emotionally and physically. Hyunjoo claimed that the bullying began before the group's debut in 2014 and continued until she left in 2016. She mentioned enduring verbal abuse, insults, harassment, and personal attacks targeting her family.

In response to these allegations, Lee Naeun and other fellow members, Lee Jin-sol, Kim Chae-won, and Yang Yena, denied the accusations. Legal proceedings were initiated, but prosecutors ultimately dropped charges against Hyunjoo's brother and a former classmate.

The case was dropped due to insufficient evidence to definitively conclude that the issues were a clear case of bullying, although interpersonal conflicts were acknowledged within the group.

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KwakTube releases an apology statement after the now-deleted video featuring Naeun

The video uploaded by KwakTube sparked mixed reactions from viewers. Some were critical of him for seemingly attempting to rehabilitate the idol's image by discussing her cleared bullying allegations, and others questioned why a bullying victim would publicly support someone who had been accused of such behavior. As the backlash grew, the YouTuber took down the video and issued a public apology.

He explained that he later felt guilty when he realized the rumors were false and unblocked her, acknowledging his actions might have caused her harm despite her innocence. The singer, in turn, responded that although it was painful to be misunderstood and ostracized by people, including KwakTube, she had come to terms with it over time.

In his statement, he acknowledged that he hadn't been thoughtful enough about the implications of featuring the star and expressed his commitment to being more careful with his content moving forward.

"There were parts in this video that I missed without thinking deeply. I will think deeply so that my personal feelings do not become everyone's position. I will pay more attention to content production in the future." KwakTube's statement read.

Despite the apology, viewers continued to express their disappointment, with some even announcing their decision to unsubscribe from his channel.

The My Story singer was also personally accused of school bullying by an individual outside the group. However, the accusation was found to be false, and the person was charged with defamation. Despite the legal outcomes, the controversies took a toll on APRIL's reputation, and the group disbanded in early 2022 after months of internal struggles and public scrutiny.

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After disbandment in 2022, Naeun went on to pursue acting, signing with Namoo Actors. However, the shadow of the bullying scandal has lingered over her career.