On September 9 KST, media outlet 'Dispatch' publicized a transcribed text version of a phone conversation between actress Kim Hieora and her alleged school bullying victim, 'H'.
Earlier this year, 'Dispatch' received a school bullying accusation report from an informant, 'A', a former student at Sangji Girls' Middle School. The media outlet then launched a private investigation into the case, interviewing 11 former students who attended the middle school at the same time as Kim Hieora.
As a part of the investigation, 'Dispatch' also contacted Kim Hieora herself to gather her side of the story. This eventually led to the arrangement of a meeting between Kim Hieora and former classmates A, B, C, and D in May of 2023. The reunion between Kim Hieora and the four classmates took place privately, without reps from 'Dispatch' present. Afterward, 'A' contacted 'Dispatch' again and said, "Please do not report the information I gave you."
Later on, 'Dispatch' learned that Kim Hieora also arranged private meetings with former classmates E, F, and G, offering them sincere apologies for what happened during their middle school days. There was one other former classmate that Kim Hieora hoped to reach, 'H'. However, 'H' ultimately did not agree to meet Kim Hieora in person.
On September 6, 2023, 'Dispatch' published its initial report, raising allegations that Kim Hieora had been active as a member of an "iljin" group at her middle school, known as 'Big Sangji'. Afterward, Kim Hieora and her agency denied the allegations, claiming that the actress "did not bully others".
On September 8, Kim Hieora contacted 'H' over the phone. The transcribed version of the phone conversation can be found, below.
H: You hit me the most out of anyone. Right?
Kim Hieora: ...
H: You called me that time, after you finished 'The Glory'.
Kim Hieora: That's right.
H: Eora. To be honest, I think that if you really had honest intentions of apologizing, you should have called me before you began 'The Glory'.
H: But I heard that someone reported you for school bullying after 'The Glory'?
Kim Hieora: That's right. That's why I called you.
H: You wouldn't have bothered to call me otherwise.
Kim Hieora: I've always kept you all in my thoughts, all this time...
H: Eora. I'm sorry, but everything that you're saying just sounds like excuses to me. Do you know what I mean?
Kim Hieora: I can understand that.
H: So, what do you want?
Kim Hieora: I'm sorry.
H: Do you admit that you hit me?
Kim Hieora: I'm very sorry. Truly.
H: What are you sorry about? It's the truth. I've waited for this moment.
Kim Hieora: Can we meet in person?
H: Why do you think I waited, without agreeing to meet you in the first? All of the others agreed to meet you. E, F, and G. So why didn't I go see you? Why do I have to see you?
Kim Hieora: Do you want me to admit? Is that what you want?
H: Of course.
Kim Hieora: If that's what you want, I'll admit it. But if you come forward as an informant, your information will be revealed. Yours and the others'. It's not about what's true and what's false...
H: Eora. We're victims. You're the assailant. So what about our information? We did nothing wrong. You're the one who did wrong.
Kim Hieora: I will apologize to you as many times as it takes, as many times as you need. I'm truly sorry.
H: Eora, you must be going through a lot right now. Aren't you? But what can you do? You need to go through many, many, many more hardships. Because I've been waiting for this moment. Did you really think that you could become a celebrity, knowing what you did? I'm amazed.
Kim Hieora: Can you just meet me in person, once?
H: Why would I meet you? There is obviously a reason why I'm not agreeing to meet with you. If I had a mind to meet you in the first place, I would have done so already. If I agree to meet you, it means that I am willing to accept your apology.
Kim Hieora: You don't have to accept my apology.
H: Eora. It's for the best that you admit to everything, and take a break for a period of reflection.
H: Stop denying everything.
Kim Hieora: I'm not denying everything.
H: But you said that you didn't hit anyone?
Kim Hieora: I didn't hit you every single day...
H: No, you just called me to the noraebang and hit me, you called me out and hit me... you always targeted me in particular.
H: You said that you didn't curse at or physically harm anyone? You said you were going to pursue legal action?
Kim Hieora: That...
H: How can you say those things? How can you be so confident? Tell me, Eora. You say that you were only a 'spectator'. But you weren't. You hit us. You hit me. You hit me the most, out of anyone. I just don't understand.
Kim Hieora: There are things I remember too.
H: I was on my way to an errand. You said, 'B****, if you don't come here right now, I'm going to beat F and G to a pulp'. I remember that day clearly. It was raining. In the street by the school. You gave F a nosebleed.
Kim Hieora: Me?
H: Of course you don't remember.
Kim Hieora: I've already discussed this with F. She...
H: I always knew that you were going to be exposed like this. I've been waiting. That's why I kept rejecting your calls. You made a lot of money, so now it's time for your to take a break and reflect. A spectator? What a joke.
Kim Hieora: To be honest, I don't remember everything. But I admit that I did bad things do you. But we were friends in our first year.
H: Why does that matter?
Kim Hieora: That's why I always had you in the back of my mind. I thought that you might have felt stronger betrayal, and that left deeper scars in you.
H: For some reason, you always targeted me.
Kim Hieora: I'm so sorry. But what I'm concerned about is that, if these things go public, it could publicly reveal the information of a lot of others who didn't do any wrong. Many people will suffer damages because of me.
H: You mean the members of 'Big Sangji'? Their names will be revealed? Why is that my concern?
Kim Hieora: You remember XX, don't you? And YY?
H: They were 'Big Sangji' members who didn't hit people. But they're the 'spectators' that you were talking about. Just like you said, they're all spectators. Every single one of them.
Kim Hieora: Just give me one chance to meet you in person and apologize.
H: I do not want to hear an apology coming from you. If I did, I would have answered your calls earlier. But I was waiting for this moment. So I hope you eat well and live well. Do you know what I mean?
Kim Hieora: I'm sorry for giving you a hard time.
H: Let's end it here. I'm hanging up.
Kim Hieora: I didn't hit you every single day...
Wow. Giirrl.
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