Actress Kim Hieora, famous for her role as the bully Lee Sa Ra in The Glory, was previously accused of being a bully. Victims claimed to have experienced monetary extortion and bullying by the actress. On the other hand, others have stepped up to defend the actress. Dispatch also recently revealed a phone conversation between an alleged victim and Kim Hieora.
Amidst the multiple accounts from various schoolmates, a new informant, “L,” has stepped up. In an interview with Korean news outlet StarNews, L claimed that rather than being a bully, Kim Hieora was a victim instead.
If Hieora actually did all that, then she does deserve the criticism. But when I heard about the victim who stepped up [with the phone call records], I wondered if she would also be able to stand proud [with what she did also]. She’s someone with bad rumors about her.
— L
She also talked about the gang that Kim Hieora was a part of, Big Sangji.
Not everyone in the group was bad. Kids who just liked to hang out gathered there. I feel sorry that people are assuming them to be so bad. I was also a bystander. I was immature back then. In the situation back then, I don’t think that any one of us can be proud of who we were.
— L
L also downplayed Kim Hieora’s status as a delinquent. While many accused her of being an iljin (1st-tier bully), L called Kim Hieora more of a “6th-tier bully.”
Kim Hieora was honestly around a 6th-tier. She wasn’t even significant in our group. I’m not proud to have also been an iljin, but I’m not a celebrity so I can say it publicly. Kim Hieora didn’t have much to her other than being pretty and pale. Actually, there were people in our group that bullied her for being pretty.
— L