“Bullying controversy” ex-April Lee Na-eun returns after 2 years with “Chaebol X Detective”
Former April member-actress Lee Na-eun will make a comeback with SBS’s new Friday-Saturday drama “Chaebol X Detective”
This marks her return to the entertainment industry after being embroiled in controversy over bullying former April member Lee Hyun-joo, leading to a hiatus of about 2 years.
According to broadcast insiders on Nov 16th, Lee Na-eun will appear in “Chaebol X Detective”. “Chaebol X Detective” is an investigative story where a third-generation heir to a conglomerate becomes a powerful detective. It follows the journey of Jin Yi-soo, who has everything in life, only for things to change when he gets entangled in a case and has to join an investigative team at the Kangha Police Station. It is co-written by Kim Ba-da, the writer of “My Name”, and directed by Kim Jae-hong, who co-directed “Through the Darkness” and “Revenant”. Starring actors Ahn Bo-hyun and Park Ji-hyun, “Chaebol X Detective” is scheduled to premiere in January next year.
In “Chaebol X Detective”, Lee Na-eun will take on the role of a celebrity and is set to appear in episodes 9~10. This marks the beginning of Lee Na-eun’s full-fledged return to entertainment activities.
Previously, in 2020, Lee Na-eun was embroiled in controversy over bullying former April member Lee Hyun-joo. At the time, Lee Hyun-joo claimed that she had been bullied by other members, including Lee Na-eun, leading to her departure from April after just a year since debut. Other members, including Lee Na-eun, denied the allegations. However, Lee Na-eun eventually left SBS’s drama “Taxi Driver”, in which she had been cast.
This controversy escalated into a legal dispute, and the prosecution stated that while there were evident interpersonal issues within the group, it was challenging to definitively label it as bullying.
Afterward, April disbanded in January last year. In June of the same year, Lee Na-eun signed an exclusive contract with Namoo Actors, continuing her career as an actress. Lee Na-eun, who debuted with April in 2015, appeared in various projects, including the web drama “A-Teen” in 2018 and the drama “Extraordinary You” in 2019.
After joining Namoo Actors, Lee Na-eun left a New Year’s greeting through her agency’s official SNS in January this year, saying, “My wish for 2023 is to have a tomorrow better than today.”
Source: Nate
