K-pop soloist Jessi (제시) had a challenging 2024, especially after facing significant backlash over allegations that she was involved in a physical altercation between a fan and an associate. The superstar was heavily criticised for supposedly failing to assist the victim; however, extended CCTV footage later revealed that she had, in fact, attempted to intervene, although the initial damage had already been done.
The rapper was then dropped by her label and went on an indefinite hiatus. Earlier this year, fans were overjoyed when she announced her comeback with the single “NEWSFLASH”. While the song implicitly addressed the controversy, Jessi had not openly spoken about the incident—until very recently. Here is what she said:
Jessi appeared as a guest on the latest episode of The Zach Sang Show, where she discussed how she began her music career, her latest album, and the controversy that led her to take a hiatus until the situation had settled. Initially, the idol was reluctant to address the incident, but the hosts suggested she confront it early in the conversation so that they could move on to other topics without the story looming over the discussion.
Fighting back tears, the artist said, “There was a lot of misunderstanding, everything got misconstrued, and narratives kept changing. I came to the conclusion that the truth will reveal itself eventually, and that no matter what I say, people will twist my words. They are going to believe what they want to believe, even if I tell my truth about what actually happened.” The 37-year-old also acknowledged that, while the situation could have been handled differently, at the time, there was little she could do.
Jessi told the host that she chose to remain silent until the controversy had died down, fearing that speaking out earlier might have only added fuel to the fire, even if she had provided a more detailed explanation. Unfortunately, her career suffered a devastating blow as a result of the controversy. However, the silver lining is that she channelled all that pain and self-reflection into creating another album as an independent artist.
Watch the full episode below:
Source: YouTube
