Editor Writes Post After Receiving Apology From Red Velvet's Irene

Oct 23, 2020

The editor and stylist whose accusations about Red Velvet member Irene’s behavior led to an apology from the idol has now written a post clarifying some details and asking for fans to stop posting malicious comments.

Through her Instagram stories on October 23, the editor wrote the following message, in which she referred to Irene as “C” and SM Entertainment as “B Company.”

I’ve already been hurt and I won’t ever forget the pain. However, I wanted a direct apology from C in order to protect my dignity as a human being, and I met C together with people in charge from B Company. It took some coordination and time for yesterday’s meeting to happen.

After I first uploaded my post, I didn’t take any action because I also needed to make rational and wise decisions in every moment in preparation for this situation. The biggest reason was that I didn’t want to create a larger misunderstanding, and I didn’t want to add fire to the rampant speculation and chaos.

I thought that there was no need to take rash action because immediately after the incident, I received an apology from someone from B Company who had hired me and the managers who had been there, and they acknowledged her wrongdoing.

I’ve never been a stylist for C’s group. I was commissioned through outsourcing for one-day styling work for a shoot on Tuesday, October 20 (I was first commissioned for this on October 5. I received an official email about it on October 6, and I prepared for 15 days at the request of B Company and C’s group).

I wrote “someone met for the first time” because C had forgotten that day that she had worked with me on a shoot for a certain magazine in 2016 (I also confirmed this yesterday when we met) and also because her actions were something that happened not only to me but also to a junior editor who was helping me that day and to an assistant.

For that reason, those two people came with me to the meeting for the apology. They spoke with people from B Company and C and they both received an apology from C.

I thought from the beginning that there was no need to respond to thoughtless malicious comments from C’s fans. I still feel the same way. The reason that I still haven’t taken any action is that ever since I decided I needed to do something about this, my fundamental goal and objective has been for C to promise that she will never act like that toward anyone again and for her to meet with myself and my two team members and apologize. Since this has happened, I’ve stopped everything after receiving the official apology yesterday.

Although some people have imagined and speculated about this, nothing like a financial settlement has taken place. (Currently there is just the processing of my pay and compensation for expenses for the October 20 one-day work). Also, the word “settlement” didn’t even come up at the meeting yesterday. It was a meeting for an apology, not for a settlement.

I had to protect myself until the end. At the meeting, I requested an apology letter that would include B Company and C’s acknowledgement of wrongdoing, apology, and promise to not commit such actions again because there was no reason for me to continue to be indiscriminately attacked by thoughtless people and so that there would be no further misunderstandings. This post will also be my last time expressing my stance on the matter.

I am one person. I have upheld the ethics of my job that I believe in and I always do my best at whatever job I am given. I also make mistakes, and I could be seen as a bad person by someone and as a good person by someone else. C is the same in that way. But I couldn’t conclude that this incident was my own personal matter. I acted in this way for the sake of recovery from defamation and protection of dignity for myself, who completed all of my professional work related to my commission, and my colleagues who have had the same experience as me.

I’m going to work hard so that I can somehow overcome this pain and return to my place to continue my life. Also, I won’t react or take any action related to this incident. That’s not for my sake; it’s my final act of consideration for C who came to that meeting yesterday. Also, if you are really a fan of C who sincerely cares about her, I hope that you will no longer cross the line and will stop. Those posts do not hurt me at all and they do not affect C positively in any way.

Finally, I did expect to some level, due to the size of this incident, invasion of my privacy and the stirring up of rumors for dramatic media manipulation, and although I know that I most likely can do nothing to stop that, it would be good if you stopped now. I am also preparing something regarding this.

This post has gotten long. From my position, I had to write this. I personally deeply apologize to the B Company staff for creating tiring work.

Finally, I earnestly ask this of the people who are reading this post. I hope that you will stop writing speculative posts and articles, which end up causing greater pain and damage to everyone. Thank you.