The breakout star of Netflix Korea's hit dating show Single's Inferno has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after being caught donning designer knock-offs.
Song Ji-A, also known by her YouTube moniker Freezia, shared a handwritten apology with her millions of Instagram followers after viewers noticed that a Chanel top she wore on the Netflix series was a designer dupe.
After spotting the fake Chanel, fans discovered that some of the other items featured on the 25-year-old's social media were also cheap knock-offs of luxury brands.
Busted! Korean influencer and Netflix reality star Song Ji-a (pictured) has been forced to apologise after being caught donning designer knock-offs on TV and social media
'First, I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been disappointed and hurt because of me,' Ji-a wrote on Instagram.
'Some of the comments currently being made about the fake designer products I wore on social media and on "Single's Inferno" are true. I'm really sorry,' she continued.
'I apologize once again for any situation caused by the infringement of the designers' creations and ignorance of copyright.
'As a person with a dream of launching a brand, I will seriously recognize the controversy and reflect deeply. All content with exposed fakes has been deleted. I also apologize to the brands who were harmed because of me.'
Fake it till you make it? After spotting a fake Chanel top, fans discovered that some of the other items featured on her social media were also cheap knock-offs of luxury brands
The scandal quickly spread like wildfire across Korea, where Single's Inferno is the country's biggest Netflix show, leading the public to question if Ji-a embellished her persona for fame.
She racked up three million Instagram followers off the back of her appearance on Single's Inferno, becoming the breakout star of the series thanks to her seemingly enviable lifestyle.
Not only did her good looks and sense of style earn her attention, she was also praised for being a 'golden spoon' - a Korean term for somebody born into a wealthy family.
'I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been disappointed and hurt because of me': Ji-a wore the now-infamous Chanel top during the first episode of Netflix's Single's Inferno
Star: Ji-a racked up three million Instagram followers from her appearance on Single's Inferno, becoming the breakout star of the series thanks to her seemingly enviable lifestyle
She boasted about living at the Seoul Forest Trimage, which is one of the country's most enviable apartment complexes and a favourite among K-pop idols and celebrities.
She also attended one of Korea's top schools, Hanyang University, which only added to her popularity in the education obsessed country.
However, after her designer scandal broke, fans did some digging and discovered that she was just a dance major at Hanyang, while others questioned if she owned her luxury apartment or if she was simply just renting it.
'Nothing to throw a fit about, but I do think it’s a shame that people have to fake an entire rich persona and wear brand knockoffs to be considered marketable. It’s both sad and bizarre,' one viewer wrote, according to Koreaboo.
