Singer Jeon Somi. [Herald POP]
Singer Jeon Somi. [Herald POP]

Singer Jeon Somi has opened up about being bullied during her school years.

In a video published Friday on her YouTube channel "IMOS Jeon Somi," Jeon empathized with a viewer who shared a story about being bullied and spoke about her own experience.

"It may not compare to what the person who wrote in went through, but I was also bullied during my school years," Jeon said. "I know what it feels like — that helplessness of having nothing you can do, not knowing where to even begin telling your parents, and that feeling of 'I'm completely alone.'"

Jeon said the wounds from that time have not fully healed, even behind her cheerful public image. "Right now I'm very bright and doing well in the entertainment industry, but there are many times I cry without even realizing it," she said. She added that while life is far better now than during that dark period, the pain has not entirely gone away, and said taking time to care for oneself is important for healing.

Jeon recalled being bullied after transferring to a Korean school in third grade.

She said the trouble began after she ran for class president the day after transferring — and won. "My reading log had been torn and my photo cut up. There was trash stuffed inside my indoor shoes, and I was left alone when groups were being formed," she said.

In sixth grade, she said a male student grabbed her backpack on the way home from school, causing her to fall, and that she was stepped on while lying on the ground.

Jeon said she had been afraid that the bullying would continue when her elementary school classmates moved on to middle school with her.

She offered words of comfort to the viewer who had written in. "I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you," she said. "I'm doing much better now and can live happily, but when I think back to that time, I often find myself crying without realizing it." She advised the viewer to take good care of themselves and to consider seeking counseling if needed.

"If you haven't done anything wrong, you have every right to live boldly and happily," Jeon added. "Stop worrying about other people and live your own life."


min3654@heraldcorp.com