F.T. Island’s Lee Hongki Indirectly Mentions Choi Jonghoon’s Departure Due to Burning Sun Scandal “We Get Along So Well as Three”
F.T. Island's Lee Hongki shared his recent status
On July 9th, a video featuring Lee Hongki was uploaded to the YouTube channel “Vivo TV”.
In the video, Song Eun-yi asked Lee Hongki, “You guys in F.T. Island don’t fight much, right?” Lee Hongki responded, “These days, the team is really good. We used to fight a lot in the past, over trivial things like instant noodles and side dishes.”
He continued, “For example, one day, our manager prepared the usual menu, but one member said, ‘I didn’t mention wanting this today. I wanted something else.’ In response, I would say, ‘Just eat it.’” This revelation brought laughter.
Song Eun-yi empathized, “Even two people can fight. It’s already hard with two, so how difficult must it be with five, three or four members?” Lee Hongki noted “Nowadays, with three members, we get along very well“, indirectly referring to former member Choi Jonghoon, who left after being involved in the Burning Sun scandal.
Song Eun-yi added, “Since so much time has passed, we know that certain things will bother each other.” Lee Hongki expressed his gratitude to his members, “I always feel sorry to my members because I have a forward personality, and they often follow my lead. It’s rare to have people who say, ‘We like what Hongki does.’“
Meanwhile, F.T. Island debuted as a five-member group in 2007 but now operates as a trio after Choi Jonghoon and Song Seunghyun left. Choi Jonghoon was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for charges including gang rape and illegal filming, and was released in November 2021. He announced his departure from the team and retirement from the entertainment industry in 2019 when he was arrested.
