In an Instagram post on Oct. 23, Jessi, 35, expressed deep remorse, saying: “I regret it thousands and tens of thousands of times. I wish I could go back to that moment. If I had taken a picture, protected the victim more actively, gone straight to the police, or apologized properly, the victim wouldn’t have suffered this much. This is all my fault.”
The incident, which took place on Sept. 29, drew widespread attention when footage of it was aired by South Korean broadcaster JTBC on Oct. 11, according to SCMP.
The video shows an 18-year-old male fan approaching Jessi for a photo while she was with a group of acquaintances. After Jessi declined, the fan was assaulted by a man who was reportedly part of her entourage.
Korean-American rapper Jessi. Photo from her Instagram |
Although Jessi initially attempted to intervene, she left the scene shortly afterward and allegedly headed to a nearby bar. She initially told the police she didn’t know the attacker but later clarified that he was an acquaintance of one of her friends.
Jessi first apologized on Oct. 12, stating that she was “too flustered by the sudden situation.”
As reported by Korea JoongAng Dailyon Oct. 16, during questioning at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, the singer told reporters: “I want to find the person who hit [my fan] quickly and hope that person is punished.”
“I know I can’t be forgiven with just words,” she concluded in her latest post. “But I will try to correct my mistakes and help the victim recover.”
The incident has sparked outrage online, with Jessi facing criticism for not doing enough to protect her fan. However, many supporters defended her, insisting that the man responsible for the assault should be held accountable instead, Inquirer.net reported.
“I don’t get why Jessi is getting so much hate from Korea when she was the one who tried to stop the fighting. The man who punched the fan should be the one responsible,” one fan commented on X (formerly Twitter).
In the wake of the controversy, Jessi’s agency, DOD Entertainment, announced on Oct. 18 that it had terminated her contract, just a month after she had signed with them.
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