Actress Seo Ye Ji has shared a cryptic message on her social media, sparking speculation about her emotional state following a series of past controversies.

On April 14th KST, Seo Ye Ji posted a photo on Instagram featuring a quote from a book that read: “Don’t act like nothing’s wrong just because you’re pretending to be fine.” Fans interpreted the message as a reflection of her inner thoughts or a subtle reference to public scrutiny she has endured.

Seo Ye Ji has been embroiled in various controversies since April 2021, when she was accused of gaslighting her then-boyfriend, actor Kim Jung Hyun. The scandal was soon followed by allegations of school bullying, academic fraud, and mistreatment of staff.

Although she returned to the screen in 2022 with the tvN drama 'Eve', the reception was largely negative. In November 2023, she parted ways with her longtime agency, Gold Medalist, and in June of the same year, she signed with Sublime, marking her first steps toward a comeback. She later appeared at a beauty brand event in August, showing a noticeably brighter demeanor.

Most recently, on the March 30th episode of TV Chosun’s 'Backstreet Dining with Heo Young Man', Seo Ye Ji opened up about her struggles. When asked if acting had ever been frustrating, she replied, “As a public figure, I thought I needed to accept how people viewed me. But as I stayed silent, the misunderstandings grew, and it became an overwhelming source of stress over time.”

In a surprising move, Seo Ye Ji addressed her controversies with humor in the April 12th episode of SNL Korea. In the opening, she quipped, “I’m letting go of everything and going all in. I’ll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun.” Comedian Shin Dong Yup joined in, joking, “That’s right, Seo Ye Ji’s hobby and specialty is gaslighting. Anyone want to be gaslighted?” prompting the cast to raise their hands enthusiastically.

The self-deprecating humor appears to be Seo Ye Ji’s way of reclaiming the narrative, but her Instagram post suggests that behind the jokes, the scars may still linger.

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