Instagram has become a popular social media tool for Korean actors and idols. Unfortunately, actress Gong Hyo Jin experienced unwanted and inappropriate attention from individuals who posted sexually explicit comments to her Instagram account.
On May 8, TV Daily published a report which focused on her displeasure with the unwarranted Instagram comments.The "Producer" star captured the screen name of the user and posted the information along with the caption, "I'm looking for you."
The level of sexual harassment through Instagram by the unnamed user extended beyond a few posts, which drove the renown actress to address the inappropriate nature of the comments. The situation became a trending topic, with many netizens calling for the prosecution of the Instagram user.
The post has been removed but TV Daily published a photo of the conversation. Fans delivered a strong show of support for the actress, who showed consideration by removing her post which named the offensive Instagram user.
Harassment on social media has become a major concern for both female and male celebrities. In 2012, JYP Entertainment pursued legal action against a netizen who posted sexually explicit photos on Twitter, which featured a cardboard cut-out of Miss A's Suzy. Suzy was a minor during the point of harassment. 2PM's Taecyeon also delivered harsh warnings to two Twitter users who continuously addressed him with inappropriate comments.
Gong Hyo Jin will return to television on May 15 in the highly anticipated drama, "Producer." She will portray Tak Ye Ji, a seasoned producer-director. Her starring role in the series follows the success of the Hong Sisters' 2013 hit "Master's Sun" and the psychological drama, "It's Okay, That's Love."
On May 8, KBS released a full preview of the first episode, which features the 35-year-old actress as a tough music show producer. In the trailer, she goes head-to-head with IU, who portrays Cindy, a former child star with an uncanny sense of entitlement.