From JinE to Seungri: Former members tarnishing the groups’ reputation even after withdrawal

At the end of last month, amid the uproar in the entertainment industry over the dating rumors between aespa’s Karina and actor Lee Jae-wook, former Oh My Girl member JinE sparked a discussion by leaving a post saying, “Karina Karina Karina nanrina (wordplay for ‘there’s an uproar’) ㅋㅋ.”

At the time, netizens interpreted JinE’s post as related to the dating rumors of Karina and Lee Jae-wook. This was amidst concerns and backlash from those worried about the negative impact on aespa’s popularity and performance due to Karina’s public relationship.

In this context, when JinE left incomprehensible words like “Karina” and “uproar”, it was interpreted as “mockery”, and criticisms such as “crossing the line as a senior girl group member” and “being reckless” poured in.

Eventually, JinE apologized, “I apologize if that was inappropriate. I just wanted to express my disappointment because she (Karina) is my favorite member.”

About two weeks later, on March 13th, JinE posted another apology, reigniting the controversy. She said, “I would never have made such a post to arouse attention in a negative way. I admitted that I made a mistake in expressing my thoughts in the post.”

JinE explained, “I was so upset because I knew so well that she was receiving excessive criticism as the most popular member of the group. I used the expression ‘nanrina’ just to say ‘Everyone, please stop’. I should have been more careful with my words but I eventually made a mistake.“

JinE added, “I once again apologize to Karina and her fans who were negatively affected by my words and actions. I’m very sorry.”

Public reactions to JinE’s repeated apologies remain divided. As she has been inactive since withdrawing due to anorexia in 2017, and currently has no specific activities, some say excessive criticism should be avoided.

However, criticisms of her recklessness as a former girl group member are predominant. Moreover, amid the solo comeback of Oh My Girl’s YooA on March 14th, malicious gossip about an ex-member has spread, making the situation unpleasant for fans.

Recently, Highlight’s comeback and the dating issue of former member Yong Jun-hyung have also left fans bitter.

Highlight made a comeback with their fifth mini-album “Switch On” on March 11th. Coincidentally, on the same day, photos of Yong Jun-hyung holding hands with his girlfriend HyunA and enjoying a date overseas became a hot topic.

Celebrating their 15th debut anniversary, Highlight expressed their earnest desire for their activities and sincerity towards fans at a press conference held that day. In particular, as the pain and scars from Yong Jun-hyung’s departure were significant during their 15-year journey, his oblivious public date behavior that day angered fans even more.

The tarnishing of Big Bang’s image by Seungri has been ongoing for several years. In 2019, he was pointed out as a central figure in the Burning Sun controversy, leading to his disgraceful departure from Big Bang and essentially being expelled from the entertainment industry.

Seungri, who was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison following a long trial, was released last year after serving his sentence. With a myriad of charges ranging from habitual gambling, violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, violation of Food Sanitation Act, embezzlement to violations of Special Economic Crimes Weighted Punishment Act, he has been a central figure in stirring up the entertainment industry even after his release.

To make matters worse, his boastful remarks such as “I’ll bring G-Dragon here” at an overseas event and his “Big Bang influence” actions have outraged Korean fans, creating noise in the entertainment industry.