Jessi, Who Claimed Not to Know the 'Fan Assault' Perpetrator... Suspected of Lying Over Affectionate Skinship Photos

Photos Shared Showing People Carried on Backs and Faces Close Together

Jessi's claim that she "does not know" the Chinese perpetrator accused of assaulting her teenage fan has sparked suspicions of being false.

[Image source=Online community capture]

On the 19th, various online communities and social networking services (SNS) shared claims that the perpetrator involved in the assault of a minor fan is the producer "Koala," who participated in works such as 'What Type of X,' 'Cold Blooded,' and 'Nunnu Nanna,' along with past photos showing Koala and Jessi posing affectionately together.

In the released photos, Jessi and Koala were seen posing with their faces close together. In another photo, Jessi was piggybacking on Koala, smiling brightly while facing each other.

Earlier, Jessi was suspected of standing by without intervening when a teenage male fan who requested a photo was assaulted by her group in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, in the early morning of September 29. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident showed Koala seemingly threatening the victim. The victim reported the incident to the police immediately afterward, and Jessi’s side reportedly stated, "We have no connection to the perpetrator. He is a Chinese friend of a producer close to me."

However, Jessi, Koala, and two others in their group were booked after being sued by the victim on charges including assault. Jessi was also reported by a netizen for charges such as harboring a criminal and aiding escape. Koala was questioned by the police on the 11th as a suspect.

Regarding this case, Jessi appeared at the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the 16th for questioning. She reportedly stated, "The perpetrator is a Chinese friend of a close producer (Koala), whom I met for the first time on the day of the incident." Jessi’s legal representative also dismissed the allegations on JTBC's 'Case Manager,' saying, "Koala only worked with Jessi on music a few times."

However, controversy intensified when a woman who had previously filed a complaint claiming she was gang assaulted by Jessi and her group at an Itaewon club stated, "The tactic of claiming not to know the perpetrator is exactly the same. I was hit by Jessi," and added, "If there had been no CCTV, she would have denied any involvement this time as well."

Meanwhile, Jessi has terminated her exclusive contract with her new agency DOD.