Kim Garam, Chen, Chanyeol, Lucas, and Irene were embroiled in heavy controversies, which led to them being canceled by fans.
Alongside their visuals and talents, Kpop idols are also loved for their good image towards the public. However, some Kpop idols had their images ruined over scandals, leading to fans turning their backs and asking for them to leave the group. As a result, these idols often have to go on hiatuses, and below are 5 of such cases:
Kim Garam (LE SSERAFIM)
Debuted at the age of 16, Kim Garam was quickly drowned in criticisms following her school violence scandal. Despite her agency, HYBE, speaking up against the bullying allegations, evidence released by various netizens and alleged victims still had the public and fans condemn this female idol.
In a recent video of LE SSERAFIM’s performance, fans of the group went silent whenever it came to Kim Garam’s part. Furthermore, hashtags like #Garam_Leave and #GaramBully also went trending on Twitter Korea, showing clear distaste for the female idol. Kim Garam eventually went on an indefinite hiatus while LE SSERAFIM promoted as a group of 5. As of the moment, Kim Garam’s future remains unclear.
Chen (EXO)
Chen, a member of the famous boy group EXO, once delivered a shock to EXO fans after suddenly announcing his marriage and upcoming child in 2020. The news came as a complete surprise, leading to Korean fans raging and demanding an apology from Chen. Some even went as far as to protest outside of SM Coex Artium in Seoul, asking for Chen to leave EXO altogether.
Following the event, Chen served his mandatory military enlistment at the end of the same year. However, he announced a second child in 2022, resulting in further disappointment from Korean fans. While there’s no official hiatus announced for the male idol, he has since not participated in any new EXO activities, leaving a vague picture about his position within the group.
Chanyeol (EXO)
2020 seems to be a turbulent year for EXO, seeing that Chanyeol, another member, also became wrapped up in controversies this same year. In particular, an SNS user accused Chanyeol of cheating on her repeatedly during their 3 years of being together, and even attached photos, supposedly of Chanyeol. Both Chanyeol and SM Entertainment remain silent about this issue even now, leading to anger from Korean fans, who demand Chanyeol’s departure from the group.
Shortly after the scandal, Chanyeol went silent, only to return to SNS in early 2021. At the time, the male idol published a letter that expressed his sincere feelings, while ignoring the old controversy. Meanwhile, SM Entertainment decided to sue the original poster in March for “misinformation” and “defamation”, and Chanyeol resumed his activities back in June 2021. As of the moment, fans of EXO seem to have been appeased, and Chanyeol’s name is mostly cleared.
Lucas (NCT)
In August 2021, when NCT’s Lucas was embroiled in allegations of gaslighting, cheating on his ex-girlfriends, taking advantage of fans, badmouthing his coworkers, fans were disappointed and outraged at his misdeeds. Although he later apologized and announced the temporary suspension of his activities, fans were still angry and took to SNS platforms to ask SM to kick him out of the group.
Many fans trended the hashtag #Lucas_Out at the time. As more evidence against Lucas came to light, the situation only got worse. Lucas’ scandal broke out shortly before the release of the single “Jalapeño” by him and bandmate Hendery. Now, the song has been postponed indefinitely, and Lucas has been on hiatus since.
Irene (Red Velvet)
When a well-known fashion editor accused a girl group member of mistreatment and abuse of power in the workplace, Red Velvet’s leader Irene immediately came under suspicion.
Although Irene admitted her mistake and issued an apology, the criticism aimed at her did not subside. Many netizens even asked Irene to leave the group. SM later announced that Irene personally met and apologized to the fashion editor, admitting her inappropriate behavior and attitude. She took a hiatus from activities for nearly a year before making a comeback with Red Velvet in August 2021.
Source: K14
