Sunday, August 16, 2026

Kim Jaejoong recently revealed a darker side to growing up handsome.

On August 15, Kim Jaejoong made a guest appearance on the Youtube channel 'Kkondaedaehee.' During the episode, when Kim Daehee asked, "You've been handsome since you were young, right?" Jaejoong replied, "No," and added, "I was cute as a baby, but I became kind of ugly in middle school."

Jaejoong continued, "My face started looking better after I entered high school. I never really went through any particularly noticeable changes during puberty," before recalling:

"Life was too hard for me to even notice puberty." 

 

Jaejoong shared that his teenage years were filled with struggles and targeted bullying from older students. He recalled, "I kept wondering, 'Why did they hit me so much?'," and added:

"During my school years, the older kids would always pick on kids who were pale or looked different from them. If you didn't look down, they would drag you into back alleys."

Furthermore, Jaejoong shared a specific incident when older students targeted him: "They tricked me by saying that a pretty girl liked me. They told me to follow them to the rooftop."

These experiences eventually affected the way Jaejoong carried himself. He revealed, "I have a forward-head posture because I spent so much time walking around while looking at the ground to avoid making eye contact," and added, "I would even take long detours between home and school to avoid running into them."

Because of the trauma he went through while growing up due to his noticeable appearance, Jaejoong admitted:

"I really root for people who are naturally good-looking. There are a lot of difficult things that can come with it. It can be inconvenient."

He added, "People around you are constantly taking photos. You can't always eat however you want, and you have to manage your facial expressions while eating." 

Kim Jaejoong Opens Up About the Dark Side of Growing Up Handsome

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Former NewJeans member Danielle recently made a rare public appearance in South Korea by participating in a marathon charity run held to commemorate Liberation Day.

On August 15, posts and videos of Danielle running near World Park in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul for the '2026 815 Run' quickly spread across social media. One fan who shared a video wrote, "Danielle crossed the finish line at today's run."

The 815 Run is an annual charity run organized by Habitat for Humanity Korea to mark Liberation Day while raising money to improve the living conditions of descendants of Korean independence activists. Participants run an 8.15 km course, with all registration fees and corporate sponsorships going directly toward housing projects for these families.

This marks Danielle's second time joining the event, following her participation in the event last year. Singer Sean previously revealed that Danielle reached out to him the day before the run to express her support for the cause before completing the 8.15 km course.

Danielle has also taken part in international running events. Last month, she competed in the China Airlines Half Marathon in Australia, finishing the 21.0975 km race with an impressive time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 13 seconds.

Her rare appearance comes amid an ongoing legal dispute with her former agency, ADOR. Back in December 2025, ADOR officially terminated Danielle's exclusive contract while filing a damages lawsuit against her, one of her family members, and former ADOR CEO Min Heejin, seeking approximately 33 billion KRW (around $23 million) in compensation.

During the fourth hearing held on July 23, the two sides continued to clash over how damages from the group's hiatus should be calculated. ADOR argued that revenue losses caused by all five members pausing their activities should be included in the claim. On the other hand, Danielle's side argued that she should not be held responsible for losses caused by the other members' inactivity.

The court has also started a formal financial appraisal process, with the first report scheduled to be submitted by September 10.

Former NewJeans Member Danielle Spotted at the Liberation Day Charity Run


Actress Hayoung, who has recently been identified as a descendant of a pro-Japanese collaborator, is reportedly facing a difficult situation while filming SBS' upcoming drama 'There Is a Chance of Winning.'

According to a report from MyDaily on the 16th, Hayoung is continuing to film the drama set to air next February despite the contorvesy surrounding her great-grandfather's alleged pro-Japanese ties.

The situation escalated during filming on August 13, when Hayoung reportedly broke down in tears and was unable to control her emotions on set. Ultimately, filming was forced to pause temporarily. She had to take several hours to rest and compose herself before returning to finish filming.

The controversy first surfaced on August 10, just one day before Hayoung’s birthday. The production team had originally prepared a birthday cake for her on August 11, but the celebration was quietly canceled following the controversy. 

This naturally leaves SBS in a difficult spot. With nearly 90% of filming complete and ten of billions of KRW already invested in the drama, replacing the lead actress is nearly out of the question. Accordingly, SBS has not changed its decision regarding her casting. The broadcasting station previously stated:

"We are aware of the issue and are closely monitoring how the situation develops. If there are any developments to share in the future, we will let you know."

However, SBS cannot simply ignore the public sentiment either. The drama is scheduled to premiere in February 2027, around the time of March 1st Independence Movement Day. Furthermore, because 'There Is a Winning Chance' is a remake of a Japanese drama, there are concerns that the controversy surrounding Hayoung's great-grandfather could draw more criticism and pottentionally affect advertising deals.

Moreover, reports that Hayoung 'cried on set' and 'was emotionally shaken' might backfire. While the public can understand her emotional distress, forcing a high-budget production to halt creates new issues. Rather than generating sympathy, these reports could spark further backlash for causing trouble for the crew.

The controversy itself centers on her great-grandfather, Ahn Sangho, who worked as a doctor during the Japanese colonial era and has been accused as a pro-Japanese collaborator.

Things became even more controversial after attention was turned to Kim Yongsook's 1983 historical book, 'A Study of Court Customs in the Joseon Dynasty.' The book describes Ahn Sangho's wife as 'the daughter of a Japanese general serving under the Japanese Government-General of Korea at the time.'

Meanwhile, some of Hayoung's commercial endorsements and media appearances are already taking a hit. Promotional videos featuring the actress for an electronics brand and a clothing brand have been set to private, while an episode of KBS' 'Problem Child in House' where she discussed her great-grandfather has also been removed from its VOD services. Pre-shot promotional content for her upcoming Netflix series 'Our Sticky Love' is also reportedly unlikely air.

Hayoung Reportedly Breaks Down in Tears on Set Amid Great-Grandfather Controversy