Jeon Somi experienced bullying in South Korea. She was beaten and trampled upon. Her courageous testimony to BSF.
SOUTH KOREA: JEON SOMI SUFFERED BULLYING AND STILL CRIES WHEN SHE REMEMBERS IT
The international K-pop star revealed to BSF that she was bullied for several years during her school days. The abuse included social exclusion, humiliation, destruction of her personal belongings and physical violence. “When I remember that time, I often find myself crying without even realizing it,” she confessed.
SEOUL, GENEVA, BUENOS AIRES, NOVEMBER 13, 2026.
Singer Jeon Somi, one of the best-known figures in South Korean pop music, surprised the public by sharing a deeply personal story that left lasting scars on her childhood: she was a victim of school bullying and experienced physical violence over several years.
A CHILDHOOD MARKED BY BULLYING
The singer recalled that the bullying began when she entered a Korean school in the third grade of elementary school.
After running for class representative and winning the election, the harassment began.
Her reading cards were torn up, photographs were cut apart, trash was placed inside her school shoes, and she was deliberately excluded whenever classmates were divided into groups.
The situation continued for years.
BULLYING INVOLVING PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
The most violent incident occurred when she was in sixth grade. While returning home from school, a male student pulled her backpack, causing her to fall to the ground. According to her account, he also stepped on her while she was down.
WOUNDS THAT SUCCESS CANNOT ERASE
Today, Jeon Somi enjoys an international music career and projects a cheerful and confident public image.
However, she explained that remembering those years still triggers a strong emotional response.
“I'm doing much better now and I can live happily, but when I think about that time, I often find myself crying without even realizing it,” she said.
She also recalled feeling powerless and alone, not knowing how to deal with the situation or how to explain to her parents what she was going through.
A MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING BULLYING
Somi directed her words especially to those facing similar situations.
She encouraged them to take care of themselves, rebuild their self-confidence and seek professional support whenever they need it.
Her message was clear: victims should never be made to feel responsible for the violence inflicted upon them.
THE GLOBAL PRESENCE OF
BULLYING SIN FRONTERAS
Jeon Somi's story deserves to be heard far beyond the world of entertainment.
Millions of children and teenagers experience humiliation, exclusion, threats and physical aggression at school. Many cannot find the words to talk about it. Others are afraid that speaking up will make their situation even worse.
Somi's experience reminds us that bullying is not a childhood joke, a simple disagreement between classmates or something that necessarily disappears when school ends.
Its consequences can follow a person for many years.
WORLD ORGANIZATION BULLYING SIN FRONTERAS
