What happened to Jessi the K-pop idol?

Another day in this world brings yet another chance to see South Korea’s double standards regarding women. This time around, it’s Jessi — the fierce American-Korean rapper — who finds herself at right the center of the controversy.

Some might argue that her strong personality and tough attitude will make her impenetrable to any and every public scrutiny. However, neither idols nor fans are made of stone, no matter how fearless they may appear. As fans, we should be the first to recognize how the competitiveness of the K-pop industry is already incredibly taxing on idols — yet here we are, adding to their burdens. Without further delay, let’s dive into what really happened with Jessi.

What did Jessi do?

Jessi is allegedly facing backlash from Korean fans and media for not stopping an altercation between a fan and one of her acquaintances. The incident took place on September 29, when a fan went to the police station to file a report against Jessi and her acquaintance, claiming he was struck in the face by a man in Jessi’s group after asking for a photograph.

Shortly after the report, CCTV footage, originally broadcast on JTBC, surfaced, showing an 18-year-old fan allegedly spotting Jessi while walking to a convenience store in Apgujeong, Seoul. According to reports, the fan approached Jessi to request a photo, which she politely declined, all while apologizing continuously.

However, a man in her entourage began swearing at the teen, and according to reports, he ended up striking the fan in the face. As the man yelled in English, Jessi was visibly trying to pull him back. Despite her efforts, the situation escalated into physical violence, at which point Jessi stepped away from the fight. Apparently, this decision is exactly why K-media blames Jessi.

Although the American-Korean rapper was neither the instigator of the fight nor directly responsible for what happened, South Korea’s relentlessly harsh treatment of women meant Jessi was at fault in the eyes of the Korean media. Instead of holding the man who initiated the violence accountable, the media and police shifted the blame to Jessi, accusing her of being a passive bystander rather than actively stopping the situation from escalating.

Weeks later, on October 16, the 35-year-old singer was seen leaving a police station in Gangnam after a six-hour interrogation. While briefly addressing the press, Jessi expressed her hope that “they find the perpetrator soon” and that “he gets punished.” She also confirmed that “that day was the first time [she] met the assailant.” Jessi’s agency later clarified that the assailant was a Chinese man who was an acquaintance of the producer in her group. Unfortunately, this was far from the end.

As the situation gained attention in Korean media, the backlash against Jessi intensified. Already seen as a controversial and “vulgar” figure by some South Korean fans due to her risqué outfits and performances, on top of Jessi’s deviation from the conventional, traditional standards often imposed on female idols, this situation only fueled the growing criticism. In response, Jessi posted an apology on Instagram, which led to even greater public scrutiny from K-netizens.

While many international fans flooded the comment section with love and support, sadly, death threats began to surface among the messages. In a recent Instagram story posted on October 23, Jessi shared a disturbing comment left on her apology letter that read: “The best news would be that she committed suicide by taking medicine. That would be good news, so I’ll be waiting for it.” Jessi responded with a simple plea: “Please stop…”

This wave of death threats came shortly after Jessi reportedly parted ways with her agency, DOD, following the incident. Despite the backlash, most international fans have been rallying behind Jessi, understanding that there was arguably little more she could have done to prevent the altercation. One user on Instagram expressed frustration, saying, “Is it a new trend in Korea to target innocent idols? Like, for real, they can’t live their lives as normal humans.” We couldn’t agree more.