On the July 24 episode of MBN’s The World’s Exclusive, trot singer Hwanhae, once a member of the idol group P.A.S.A, opened up about his current life and past struggles. Now known as the “Na Hoon-a of Masan,” the aspiring trot singer balances part-time jobs to make ends meet, including physically demanding work at a seafood wholesale market. “I’ve been doing this for about three months. The job is early in the morning, so I help out when I can,” he explained, while loading auctioned seafood in the pre-dawn hours.
After his shift, he was seen returning to a modest one-room apartment where he lives with his elderly father, who suffers from mobility issues. Hwanhae also works shifts at a local chicken galbi restaurant to support them.
Debuting 25 years ago as P.A.S.A’s lead vocalist, Hwanhae reflected on the price his family paid for his dreams. “The agency kept asking my father for money, calling it an ‘investment.’ We ended up giving them nearly 300 million won (approx. $220,000),” he recalled. “But we never got anything back—not even a proper financial statement.”
Despite the massive sum, Hwanhae and his family never saw a return on their investment. “We lost a lot of money back then,” he admitted, his words underscoring a recurring issue in the entertainment industry where hopeful trainees and their families fall victim to financial exploitation under the guise of debut opportunities.
Hwanhae’s story has struck a chord with viewers, prompting discussions about unregulated practices in idol training agencies, especially in the early 2000s when many companies operated without transparency.
Now building a new career as a trot singer and caring for his ailing father, Hwanhae is slowly regaining public attention—not just for his voice, but also for his resilience and honesty. His experience serves as a powerful reminder of the emotional and financial costs behind the K-pop dream.
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