Popular K-Drama Actress Under Massive Fire After Her Pet “Appears To Be Dying” On TV Show

Actress Han Ji Eun, best known for her supporting roles in hit K-Dramas like Be Melodramatic and Bad And Crazy, has found herself embroiled in allegations of “animal abuse” after revealing her pet in the latest episode of The Manager.

The MBC show captured Han Ji Eun looking after “Moni,” a crested gecko. The actress’s manager explained, “She got the gecko from an acquaintance about five months ago.”

While the episode tried to portray Han Ji Eun as a caring owner, the gecko’s appearance has since provoked intense criticism from viewers, especially fellow lizard lovers.

Following the broadcast, the actress now faces backlash for failing to provide adequate care and “neglecting” the delicate reptile.

전참시에 크레가 나왔다길래 봤는데..
그 뼈밖에 없는데…
며칠에 한번 피딩을 한거지…? pic.twitter.com/zBwHWwdkzA

— 오리넉울 (@platypupu) September 14, 2025

I heard a crested gecko appeared on ‘The Manager,’ so I watched it…
But it’s nothing but bones…
How often has it even been fed…?

— @platypupu/X

• “I don’t know much about geckos so at first I was like, ‘What’s wrong with it?’ But after seeing other gecko pictures… Ugh, it’s heartbreaking.”
• “If you don’t know how, you shouldn’t raise one… Or at least study a lot beforehand. Raising a living being isn’t easy.”
• “Even as someone who doesn’t know much about geckos, I can tell by watching the video that it’s not well. I just hope nothing bad happens.”
• “Isn’t this animal abuse? What’s with people defending her saying, ‘She just didn’t know’? If you don’t know, you shouldn’t raise one.”
• “If you take in a life, you should learn about that creature. Saying ‘she didn’t know’ makes no sense. This is basic, elementary-level common sense.”
• “Since it’s a type of lizard people don’t usually keep, the backlash isn’t too bad. But imagine if it were a dog or cat—something everyone recognizes—coming out on TV so skinny you can see its bones. The community would’ve exploded with animal abuse accusations that very day. I just hope it gets resolved now.”
• “I don’t know geckos, but comparing with the other healthy gecko photos, yeah, its condition really does look bad.”
• “Honestly, I thought it was a skeleton model.”
• “I don’t know much about lizards, so I couldn’t tell from the head and skull, but looking at the arms compared to the RT photos, the difference is huge. The arms are so scrawny.”
• “Couldn’t it just be a naturally skinny lizard? People come in all body types too…”

With one of Korea’s largest rare animal YouTubers, @THEZOO_kr, also commenting, “It’s nothing but bones,” the reactions continue to grow more scathing.

• “It really is nothing but bones.”
• “This is serious… If a dog or cat had been shown this emaciated on TV, people would’ve freaked out long ago, and Han Ji Eun probably wouldn’t even be able to make a comeback. That gecko looks like it’s on the verge of death. I don’t know how busy life in the entertainment industry is, but if that’s the case, she shouldn’t be showing it off on TV—she should either take care of it properly or rehome it. If it were sick, it shouldn’t even be shown. Displaying it so casually like this makes it seem like she’s raising it without basic knowledge.”
• “That crested gecko is starving. I’ve never seen one with bones so exposed. Apart from photos of abused or neglected geckos, this is the first time. At this rate, it could develop a serious illness and die suddenly at any time. Crested geckos are pets too—if you can’t take care of it, you should rehome it.”
• “Maybe her ‘acquaintance’ gave her wrong advice… It’s far too skinny.”
• “This little one looks like it’s about to die. Leaving it alone doesn’t count as ‘taking care’ of it. It’s not even a rare or expensive breed. Please don’t use a living creature for clout.”
• “It’s five months old, but its size and condition clearly show malnutrition. The amount of food is way too little. You need to feed it until it finishes everything and maybe even rub its head or coax it. Then it’ll start gaining weight. Also, it’s better to provide a water dish.

Han Ji Eun has not responded to the growing suspicion of mistreating the gecko.

Watch the full clip of Han Ji Eun handling “Moni” here: