Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, previously caught attention when he was seen with the internet broadcast BJ Guajeub Saeyeon (real name In Sae-yeon) in the US. Now, Guajeub Saeyeon is again in the spotlight for posting and then deleting a photo with Kim Ha-on, former contestant of “High School Rapper.”
On November 4th, online platforms quickly spread posts titled “Photo of Guajeub Saeyeon Posted on Instagram and Then Deleted.” According to these posts, Guajeub Saeyeon shared pictures from her birthday party held at a hotel in Seoul on November 3rd, describing it as “the best day made by loved ones.”
In addition to photos and videos of the party preparations, she uploaded a surprising photo with rapper Kim Ha-on, known for his debut on “High School Rapper” and currently appearing on “Rap: Republic.” In the picture, Kim Ha-on placed his hand on Guajeub Saeyeon’s shoulder, showing familiarity and closeness.
The image led to various speculations online, with comments like “Is it a ‘lovestagram’ (a term for posts by couples on Instagram)?”, “Friends can put an arm around each other’s shoulder,” and remarks on Kim Ha-on’s personality shift, indicating a downturn in some fans’ opinions of him after the post.
The photo’s deletion spurred further speculation. Before this, in August, Guajeub Saeyeon had drawn attention for being photographed crossing a crosswalk in Beverly Hills, LA, with chairman Bang Si-hyuk. According to reports, Bang Si-hyuk had also taken pictures for Guajeub Saeyeon’s group by crouching down and taking care to get the shots.
Guajeub Saeyeon mentioned that Bang Si-hyuk helped make a reservation at a difficult-to-book restaurant during the LA visit, adding that they didn’t dine together as they weren’t close. She clarified her stance on being grateful for his courteous help.
Despite the media storm, she humorously stated that she’d walk across a Seoul crosswalk next time to avoid attention. HYBE clarified that Bang Si-hyuk met Guajeub Saeyeon and her sister at a gathering and offered advice on handling impersonators, later assisting with their LA visit.
Kim Ye-rang, Hankyung.com 기자 yesrang@hankyung.com