I was listening to April’s second mini-album when I noticed Hyunjoo on the album cover. It immediately reminded me of the whole April controversy and how the group eventually disbanded following the scandal.
( I high recommend this album! It’s genuinely so good, especially *Jelly*, my favourite, and *To My Future Boyfriend*.)☺️
The April and Hyunjoo controversy is one of the most striking examples of how a bullying scandal can completely damage a group’s reputation and career.
For those who aren’t familiar with the situation, Hyunjoo member of April accused several members of April of bullying her. The controversy quickly became a hot take and divided the public. Between the members’ statements, the accusations and the evidence presented by both sides, the situation turned into a major scandal. April never really managed to recover its former image, and the group eventually disbanded in 2022.and unfortunally naeun lose a big role in taxi driver btw …
What I find particularly interesting is comparing this case to other similar controversies involving idols such as Soojin, Garam and Hyunjin.
First example soojin (idle)
I know everyone always talk about soojin but i will do Quick .
Soojin was accused of school bullying in 2021. The controversy gained even more attention when actress Seo Shin-ae annoying actress 🙄who had attended the same school, made several statements and posted stories that many people interpreted as indirect references to the situation.
Soojin denied the allegations but eventually left (G)I-DLE. Cube Entertainment failed to protect her public image or maintain her position in the group. Her departure had a significant impact on her career.
2nd Garam ( le sserafim)
Garam also became involved in a school bullying controversy shortly after LE SSERAFIM’s debut.
A lot of alleged evidence and testimonies circulated online, with conflicting accounts from both sides. HYBE initially defended her and challenged some of the allegations before she was put on hiatus. She eventually left the group just a few months after debuting.
Unlike Soojin, however, she also received public support from people close to her, including a friend who spoke out in her defense.
3 hyunjin of skz
Hyunjin also faced school bullying allegations. JYP Entertainment acknowledged that some people had been hurt by his past behaviour, and the idol issued an apology. He was subsequently placed on hiatus before gradually resuming his activities with Stray Kids.
Today, his career is still going strong. He is part of an extremely successful group, has millions of followers and has secured collaborations with major luxury brands.
What I really want to discuss through these examples is the potential double standard in the K-pop industry.
I’m not claiming these cases are exactly the same, nor am I suggesting that the circumstances, evidence or individual responsibilities were identical. I’m also neither a Fearnot nor a Stay, so I have no particular interest in defending one group over another.
However, I do find it interesting that controversies involving similar allegations can lead to such different outcomes depending on the idol, their agency and their position in the industry.
I also feel that female idols and girl groups tend to face harsher criticism and more damaging career consequences when these scandals emerge, while male idols sometimes seem to have more opportunities to rebuild their careers after a period of controversy.
What do you think about hyunjoo case ? 2026 and i still who have right between April and hyunjoo ? And do you think kpop industry still have double have standard for bullying case ?
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