On Oct 29th, Seungkwan shared his thoughts on his SNS, writing, “I don’t want to see anyone getting hurt anymore. While watching everything that’s been happening, I kept telling myself ‘It will pass somehow’, and I’ve been holding in my feelings while continuing to work hard with the members, as I always have.”
He continued, “Being a celebrity is a job I chose, and while receiving a lot of love means there are things I have to endure, I don’t think it’s a job where you should have to suffer until you are on the brink of death, eating away at yourself. Still, even at this moment, we have to keep going. Some look at it rationally, some smile positively, and others, while struggling, adapt and find a way to survive. Just because I chose this path doesn’t mean I should be expected to bear everything—yet that expectation feels cruel and heartless today.”
Seungkwan firmly stated, “I want to make this clear: we are not people who can be easily judged or talked about. I wish idols weren’t taken so lightly.“
He added, “You have no right to easily insert yourselves into our stories. Not just us, but for all other artists too—we are not your items. I hope you don’t think you can use and enjoy us as you please.”
Seungkwan’s message is being interpreted as criticism toward his agency HYBE. Recently, it was revealed that SEVENTEEN’s management company HYBE drafted an internal document that included evaluations of the physical appearance of idol group members, including minors, causing an uproar.
Along with his message, Seungkwan also shared a handwritten letter from NMIXX’s Haewon. In the letter, Haewon wrote, “I believe there’s nothing more difficult yet meaningful than bringing people joy and laughter. In that sense, you, as both an artist and a variety show personality, are sharing twice, no, far more gifts with the public than most. I hope that one day, I can grow enough to share my sincerity as a gift with others too.”
Source: Naver
