Bullying Controversy 'The Glory' Director An Gil-ho: "I Have No Memory of Assault"

PD Girlfriend Testifies "No Severe Teasing"
Additional Reports Reveal Shocking Assault

Amid allegations of school violence against PD An Gil-ho, who directed the Netflix drama 'The Glory' dealing with school violence, An PD himself and key figures involved, including An PD's then-girlfriend, have consecutively issued statements.

An PD denied all related allegations, stating, "It is true that I studied abroad in the Philippines for about a year, but I was never involved in any physical altercations with Korean students."

On the 10th, An PD told Yonhap News in a phone interview, "Nothing like that ever happened," adding, "No matter how much I think about it, I have no memory of anyone being beaten up by a group."

The first whistleblower, Mr. A, who raised the school violence allegations against An PD, revealed on the 10th on 'HeyKorean,' a Korean community site based in the U.S., that during his second year of middle school in 1996 while studying in the Philippines, he and a friend were severely beaten for two hours by An PD, who was then a high school senior, and others. Mr. A explained that the reason for the assault was that classmates had teased An PD's then-girlfriend, Ms. B. According to Mr. A, about a dozen people, including An PD, were present at the scene of the incident.

In response, Ms. B told Yonhap News, "Contrary to what people think, the teasing by friends was not severe but rather typical playful banter among friends," adding, "If I had thought the friends would be assaulted, I would not have relayed such comments to An PD." She also said, "Friends teased An PD's name (An Gil-ho) by changing it to 'An Gil-eo,'" and "Some interpret this word as a 'sexual joke,' but we were not at an age for sexual jokes at the time. It was more like teasing about leg length since long legs and short legs were a trend then."

Director An Gil-ho, who directed the Netflix drama 'The Glory' dealing with school violence.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Mr. A, the whistleblower, also rebutted the criticism that "Mr. A and his classmates first used verbal abuse, so the assault was a response," saying, "The classmates in the same grade were very close friends, and we remained close even after the incident," adding, "We just teased each other by name and laughed as friends do." He continued, "Violence cannot be justified," and asked, "Is it justifiable for high school seniors to assault two middle school second-year students in a secluded place?" Mr. A said, "I want An PD to properly apologize and reflect on the incident even now," and added, "His current behavior is no different from the perpetrators in the drama."

Supportive testimonies for Mr. A's claims are also emerging. Mr. C and Mr. D, classmates of Mr. A currently residing in the U.S., told Yonhap News, "I clearly remember the incident where a senior from another school came to our school and beat students. Mr. A and another friend were severely beaten, which was very shocking to us as children," adding, "The victims were seriously injured, and it is unreasonable to say An PD did not know about it. It was a major topic and widely rumored at the time." Mr. D also said, "An PD attended a local school, not our school," and added, "I have seen many interviews related to school violence, and I found them absurd and shameless. As a parent now, although we were young and powerless then, it resonates differently now."

Another whistleblower, Mr. E, said, "One of the two friends assaulted by An PD could not attend school for several days, and the other had many bruises and injuries," adding, "After that incident, we had to endure gatherings and beatings by seniors that had not happened before."

'The Glory,' directed by An PD, tells the story of Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye-kyo), whose soul was shattered by school violence, seeking revenge on her perpetrators as an adult. Part 2 was released at 5 p.m. on the 10th.