Her popularity soared after being the breakout star of the Netflix reality show Single’s Inferno. For a moment, it seemed like Song Ji-a had it all.
However, the influencer, who goes by Free Zia, was exposed for wearing fake luxury goods (even on the show) and with that, her branding and reputation took a huge hit.
Over days, Ji-a — who was peddling a luxurious lifestyle that would qualify her as a Sex and The City girl — came under intense scrutiny, with some even speculating that the house she had shown off on her YouTube video wasn’t even owned by her.
Ji-a posted a Jan 17th handwritten apology letter on Instagram, confessing to having worn fake designer clothing on the show.
It was followed up with an apology video on Jan 25 where she explained that she had bought the fake items initially as “they were pretty”. However, as she began to receive more attention from the public, she continued her ways because she “focused my energy on the Song Ji-a I wanted to show to the public”.
Despite her apology, it seems that her agency may be dropping her or at least distancing itself from her.
(Read also “How Kim Seon-Ho Survived Cancel Culture And Found More Success“)
According to Koreaboo, actress Kang Ye-won, the co-CEO of Hyowon CNC which manages Ji-a, has deleted all posts with Ji-a from her Instagram account and even made her account private.
Ye-won’s actions have caused netizens to speculate that the actress is cutting ties with the disgraced influencer. Perhaps, it could even be an indication of the agency’s stance on Ji-a?
On Jan 19, the agency’s CEO Kim Hyo-jin released a statement apologising for not checking on Ji-a’s fashion styling even though it’s the company’s responsibility.
She explained that “respecting Free Zia’s own styling was a way to communicate with the subscribers on a more intimate level”.
Ji-a has the potential to turn things around, but is it too late? Well, things certainly look bleak but if it’s any indication, her Instagram following doesn’t seem to have taken a hit and she still commands a respectable 3.7 million followers.
And if there’s anything we all know, it’s that people love a redemption story.
This article was published for the first time in AsiaOne.
Source: Her World