Former Idol Makes First Official Press Appearance After Bullying Scandal— But Has She Been Forgiven?
Former April member-turned-actress Lee Naeun has made her first media appearance in years, sparking intense discourse online.
On October 21, KST, Naeun attended a media event for My Little Chef, a new short-form drama. The show also stars other former idols turned actors, such as Choi Bo Min (former Golden Child member), Yoo Hyun Suk (former CIX member), and Kim Do Ah (former Fanatics member).
My Little Chef tells the story of Choi No Ma (played by Naeun), the heir to South Korea’s largest food conglomerate, who loses everything overnight and regains her footing through an unconventional cooking competition. The story supposedly captures the character’s growth through the competition as she goes through various experiences involving love, family, and more.
The press event on October 21 marked Naeun’s first official public appearance since her last drama, Extraordinary You, aired in 2019. In 2021, she was accused of bullying former APRIL member Lee Hyunjoo, and she was consequently dropped from SBS’s Taxi Driver. The controversy, in fact, brought her entire career to a screeching halt, leading to APRIL disbanding eventually.
Though most media outlets reported about Naeun’s return to the public eye as her “overcoming” the bullying controversy, netizens appear to be less than willing to forgive her.
- “I don’t want to see it.”
- “Her image is already in ruins, so I honestly don’t get why her agency keeps pushing her. No matter how pretty she is, there are tons of pretty girls in the industry. It’s not like she’s a good actress either. She’s not that popular, doesn’t have a strong fanbase, and her bad image just brings hate to any project or people she’s associated with. So why are they so desperate to promote her? I’m genuinely so curious.”
- “She gives off a bad impression.”
- “Why, though?”
- “She harassed people and made their lives miserable. I don’t want to see her.”
- “It’s not like we don’t have other actors.”
- “It wasn’t even a case of one-sided bullying. What’s the big deal?”
- “I like it. Fighting!”
In between her last K-Drama and this, Naeun has made cameo appearances in two K-Dramas, Flex X Cop and Crash. She also made a public appearance in September 2024 at the Seoul Fashion Week. Her official comeback was in July 2025 through ENA’s The Defects. However, this press event appears to be the first one she has attended in years.
My Little Chef will reportedly premiere in December 2025.
