'The Uncanny Counter' star Jo Byeong Gyu denies claims he was a school bully

Jo Byeong Gyu is taking legal action against the person who spread lies stating that he verbally assaulted a classmate when he studied in New Zealand.

"The Uncanny Counter" star, via his agency HB Entertainment, released an official statement to deny the "malicious rumors and false information" that he was a perpetrator of school violence. He said his team have "inquired into taking legal action against the person who has been recklessly spreading false rumours and malicious comments" online.

"We officially requested a police investigation into the matter and thus an investigation into the relevant case has begun. We will no longer hold back when it comes to criminal behavior such as mass-producing and spreading malicious rumors about our actors," reads the statement published by Soompi.

"According to the results of the police investigation, we will not be lenient or negotiate but instead advocate for strong legal liabilities. HB Entertainment will continue to do our best to protect our artists' rights in responding with strength against illegal behaviour that defames their reputations, such as the spread of false rumors and malicious comments. Thank you," the agency concluded.

The legal investigation is in response to a post in the Korean online forum Nate on Feb. 16 from a classmate of Jo Byeong Gyu, who claimed the actor verbally assaulted him when they studied English in New Zealand. The person alleged that the actor picked a fight with him in school and was rude to the teachers and the manager of the boarding house they stayed in at the time.

The "Sky Castle" star reportedly also made obscene jokes and talked about smoking marijuana with his friends. The classmate clarified that there was no physical violence only verbal violence.

"The only thing I want from writing this is an acknowledgment that school violence occurred and a sincere apology," the classmate wrote and included a photo of school documents and screenshots of messages the person exchanged with a friend.

This is the second time that Jo Byeong Gyu denied claims that he was rude and a school bully. The first was in 2018 when someone from his elementary and middle school class claimed that he would spit and swear at female students when they passed by. He would also allegedly rate their legs.