Ahn Hyo Seop files lawsuit against former trainee Han Seo Hee over alleged private chat
South Korean actor Ahn Hyo Seop took legal action against former trainee and media personality Han Seo Hee after she allegedly made public their text conversation, causing a stir online.
The chat took place on Nov. 30 last year on the local mobile messaging platform KakaoTalk. In their translated conversation that was reported by Koreaboo, Han appeared to invite Ahn over to hang out with her at the Joseon Palace Hotel. But at some point, she began to hint that she wanted to sleep with the actor, much to his discomfort.
"Please come to Joseon Palace tomorrow," Han's message read.
"To do what?" Ahn asked.
The internet personality allegedly then sent several messages that read, "Let’s order a sh*t ton of room service and have dinner there. It’s not like I’m paying for any of it. Or we could have sex. Ah, reply quickly. Are you ignoring me? Do you want to die?"
Ahn then replied, "You.. Why are you talking so scary?"
Han also posted pictures at the Joseon Palace on the same day as the chat, which had netizens speculating that the conversation must be real.
While she has since denied the matter in an Instagram story and clarified that the conversation was fabricated, Ahn decided to file charges against Han for defamation and slander.
According to Koreaboo, Ahn's lawyers claimed that the messages tarnished Ahn’s reputation by sharing the conversation in an open chat room where an unspecified number of people could see it. It also attempted to convey the impression that the two of them had sexual relations with each other.
Meanwhile, allkpop reported that the lawsuit also made mention of Han's past issues where she "caused controversy by using connections in the entertainment industry to engage in frequent disputes with celebrities or their fans."
Han has yet to issue a statement.
Ahn is known for his main roles in the Korean dramas Still 17, Abyss, Dr. Romantic, Lovers of the Red Sky, Business Proposal, and A Time Called You.
