Seo Yea-ji makes first variety show appearance in 8 years

Actor Seo Yea-ji returns to television with an appearance on "Huh Young Man's Food Travel." Captured from TV Chosun

Actor Seo Yea-ji is making her return to the small screen with an appearance on TV Chosun’s “Huh Young Man's Food Travel” — her first variety show appearance in eight years.

At the end of the Sunday episode of “Huh Young Man's Food Travel,” Seo appeared in the preview, surprising viewers. Her last appearance on a variety show was in 2017 on JTBC’s “Knowing Bros.”

In the preview, Seo joins host Huh Young-man on a culinary tour through Wonju, Gangwon Province. The two are seen enjoying local dishes, with Seo even dancing to BLACKPINK member Jennie’s song “Mantra” inside a restaurant, adding a playful and lighthearted moment. “I’m really glad I came on ‘Huh Young Man's Food Travel,’” she said during the episode.

Seo stepped out of the spotlight in 2021 amid controversy surrounding her past relationship with actor Kim Jung-hyun. Additional allegations, including accusations of school bullying and falsifying academic records, soon surfaced, leading her to suspend all public activities.

More recently, she found herself at the center of online rumors involving actor Kim Soo-hyun and his cousin. Addressing the situation on her fan cafe, Seo wrote, “I’m human too — this is all too overwhelming, exhausting and frustrating. I have no connection whatsoever with him (Kim Soo-hyun) or his cousin (Lee Ro-be).”

Her most recent acting project was the 2022 tvN drama “Eve.” Last year, she signed with a new agency, Sublime, marking a fresh start in her career.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.