After denying bullying rumors, 'The Glory' director now apologizes for school violence incident in the Philippines
The Glory director Ahn Gil-ho, who previously denied bullying allegations made against him, is now acknowledging his involvement in school violence when he was studying in the Philippines in 1996.
The director, through his legal representative, issued a statement apologizing for the incident that took place 27 years ago.
"Please understand that there was a slight delay from the initial report to the announcement of our stance. Director Ahn Gil-ho had a girlfriend whom he started dating while studying in the Philippines in 1996. When he heard that his girlfriend was teased at school because of him, he instantly became emotional and inflicted an irreversible wound on another person," the statement read, as reported by Korean entertainment site Soompi.
The lawyer then said that Gil-ho takes responsibility and expresses remorse for his acts: "He asks for forgiveness from the bottom of his heart from those who have been hurt by this incident. If given the opportunity, he will meet you in person. The director wants to convey his apology, even if through a phone call.”
Gil-ho then explained to another Korean media outlet why it took him a while to come forward with his apology and acknowledgment of the said incident. "I will not make excuses for each detail. It is true that each person remembers different parts because it happened 27 years ago. In addition, I was afraid that the incident would be distorted and widely known," he said through a law firm.
On March 10, the director denied bullying anyone while confirming that he indeed studied in the Philippines for around a year. "In the drama (The Glory) I made, I tried to convey the message that even if the perpetrators do not remember, the victims remember. But now I have to say that I do not remember," he earlier said.
An alleged victim referred to as "A" previously came forward with bullying allegations against the director at a Filipino school. They claimed that Gil-ho threatened and assaulted students for nearly two hours.
The Glory revolves around a woman who suffered childhood violence and now dedicates her life to executing a series of vengeful acts against her bullies and their accomplices. The second part of the show is now streaming on Netflix.