Actress Kang Eun Bi opens up about severe school bullying trauma for the first time

Actress Kang Eun Bi has spoken publicly for the first time about the lasting trauma she suffered from severe school bullying during her student years.

On the January 13 broadcast of tvN Joy’s variety show 'Kim Chang Ok Show 4,' which featured the theme “Uncomfortable Cohabitation, Let’s Break Up,” a range of personal stories were shared. On this day, Kang Eun Bi appeared on the show alongside her husband, Byun Jun Pil, and candidly revealed painful memories she had long struggled to talk about.

Explaining why she has difficulty expressing her emotions, Kang Eun Bi said, “I wasn’t liked by my classmates when I was in school. I was always alone and was severely ostracized.” She went on to shock viewers by adding, “It was so bad that I was beaten to the point where my eardrum ruptured. Even now, one side is an artificial eardrum.”

Her confession stood in stark contrast to the image she once had as a well-known “ulzzang” (internet beauty). “On the outside, people may have thought I was doing fine, but in reality, I was always lonely,” she recalled.

Kang Eun Bi also opened up about another source of pain she experienced after debuting as an actress. “Early on, I appeared on variety shows and clips of me acting cute were aired repeatedly, which branded me with labels like ‘fake’ and ‘unlikable,’” she said. “There were even forced love lines with idols. I was a rookie, so I reacted however I could, but my related search terms were filled with nothing but insults.”

Reflecting on those years, Kang Eun Bi said, “All of those experiences piled up and shaped the person I am today,” calmly explaining why she finds it difficult to open up to others.