It’s a fact that K-Pop fans are never bored. We get upbeat music, colorful MVs, and fun TikTok dances. If that isn’t enough, live performances, variety shows, and social media content bridge the gap.
Oh, and drama. Lots of drama and scandals. Not a year goes by without a dating scandal, group members beefing, or companies mistreating artists.
And 2022 had all in abundance. In fact, it felt like every time K-Pop fans got online, there was another heart-breaking incident.
So, was 2022 the most shocking year for K-Pop scandal-wise? I’ll present the facts and let you be the judge.
Chuu Gets Kicked out of LOONA
On November 25th, 2022, Chuu’s label Blockberry Creative announced she was being kicked out of LOONA for mistreating the staff. This allegation shocked many, because Chuu is known for being warm and kind-hearted. Everyone she works with speaks highly of her.
So, fans couldn’t help but wonder if the label was doing this in retaliation for the lawsuit Chuu filed earlier in the year. As a result, they had to revise her contract and start giving her 70% of her earnings while they kept 30%— the complete opposite of how things were.
Since then, people in the Korean Entertainment industry have called into question the validity of Blockberry Creative’s allegations. They pointed out the timing was suspicious, and asserted that Chuu has never mistreated anyone.
At this point, nine members of LOONA have filed lawsuits against the label to have their contracts terminated. On January 13, 2023, it was revealed that Hee Jin, Kim Lip, Jin Soul, and Choerry won their lawsuits. Sadly, Ha Seul, Yeo Jin, Yves, Go Won, and Olivia Hye’s contracts are still in effect due to changes that were made to them in the past.
It’s a tough time for LOONA and Orbits, so we can only hope 2023 brings good news for both.
OMEGA X Sues SPIRE Entertainment
LOONA isn’t the only one having problems with their label. Allegations of the boyband OMEGA X being threatened, assaulted, and exploited by the CEO, Kang Seong Hee first came to light in October. Fans were sickened, and it hit close to home since SPIRE Entertainment reached out to my former place of employment to write a promotion piece for their debut. I ended up writing it, and was impressed by the members’ talent and work ethnic. Debuting in OMEGA X was a second chance for them, because they’d previously been in groups that were no longer active. That’s what makes their situation especially sad.
Fortunately, the members were able to file a lawsuit against SPIRE Entertainment, and on January 11th they revealed that they won! I’m so happy for them, and hope they can continue doing what they love, whether that’s with a better company or independently.
NMixx and Treasure Members’ Departures
NMixx is one of JYP’s new girl groups. They had an explosive debut with the polarizing single “O.O”. People either love it or hate it. Despite the mixxed feelings (ha, you see what I did there?) of the K-Pop community, they gained a solid fanbase.
That’s why Jinni quitting in December came out of nowhere. She’d been training under JYP since 2016, and didn’t seem to have any notable conflicts with the company, so fans were caught off guard. The group is still extremely new, so a member leaving at this stage is rare. JYP stated Jinni’s departure was due to personal reasons, and that’s all we may ever know.
YG Entertainment is another big label who had sudden member departures. On November 8, they revealed Treasure members Mashiho and Bang Ye-dam were no longer in the group. The boys had been sitting out of promotional activities for the past few months, but fans never expected them to leave Treasure!
Fortunately, YG gave Teumes more than a vague statement. Mashiho left to take care of a health condition and Bang left to focus more on producing music. Those are both valid reasons, so we should wish them the best on their new paths.
Both NMixx and Treasure will continue to promote with their current lineup.
Hyun-a and Dawn Break Up
On November 30th, HyunA announced her split from Dawn on Instagram. The news devastated everyone, because the couple had been through so much together. They were kicked out of their former company Cube Entertainment for dating each other, and forged their own path as artists at Psy’s label P Nation. The two frequently worked together and appeared in each other’s songs and music videos. They were supportive of each other and candid about their relationship.
HyunA and Dawn were called K-Pop’s favorite couple, and the title was cemented when they told the world of their engagement on February 3rd, 2022. They’d been dating for almost six years and did everything together, so it didn’t seem like forever was a stretch. That’s why their breakup was one of the biggest surprises of 2022.
Neither party cited a specific reason for the breakup, so the silver lining is they’ve remained good friends, and hang out together. They both left P Nation back in August, so it looks like they’re on a new path as artists and friends.
Final Thoughts
So much happened in the K-Pop world in 2022, including veteran actor and singer Lee Seung Gi suing his entertainment company for embezzlement and the tragic loss of rising star Lee Ji Han in the Itaewon Stampede. It’s not often that so many shocking things happen in the same year. Especially if we exclude the horrific year that was 2019. But 2022 kept throwing us curve balls we weren’t ready for, so I’ll let you be the judge.
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K-Pop idol starring shows, ‘SM Specials’:
The NEO CITY investigation prepared by NCT expert guide, SHOTARO and SUNGCHAN, and the hectic trip to Korea and Japan along with special travel mates get revealed! Also, along with NCT’s SHOTARO and SUNGCHAN, experience the SMTOWN LIVE 2022 concert held in Suwon and Tokyo. The NCT Universe Tour runs endlessly from the team practice sessions to the backstage scenes. The secret KWANGYA genealogy gets revealed by the SM artists. The tour with no stop, NCT Universe Tour. Welcome to NCT Universe!
aespa, the fourth-generation girl group that represents Korea, starts its first reality travel show. The first travel spots of the Synk Road are Gangwon’s East Sea and Pyeongchang. Throughout the trip, the members must find the hidden ae-key cards and complete the Synk Road. They will go through various missions to earn the ae-key cards as they enjoy the trip. Can aespa successfully complete the first Synk Road and open the door to the next Synk Road?
“LEVEL UP PROJECT SEASON 1,2, & 3”
Red Velvet members have gathered to proceed with their third LEVEL UP PROJECT. This time, it’s Slovenia. Irene shows off her comfortable yet gorgeous look while Seulgi presents her simple look. Also, Wendy’s diverse European look, Joy’s retro style, and Yeri’s neat normcore look are also ready. With five different fashion styles, how would Red Velvet’s travelogue in Slovenia look like?
