On March 13, 2025, Yea-ji addressed her fans on her official fan cafĂ©, expressing her frustration over being linked to Kim Soo-hyun, his cousin Lee Sa Rang, and their management agency, Gold Medalist. After reading a comment that connected her to the scandal, she stated, “I’m only human… This has been overwhelming, stressful… I’m so sick and tired of it all.  It saddens me and suffocates me… I’ve been holding back, but I responded to a comment and deleted … I’m not affiliated with him and his cousin. I don’t know why I need to explain myself… but I’m frustrated.”