‘Queendom Puzzle’ side gave to the question of whether Lee Chaeyeon, who previously dropped out due to personal reasons, would be edited.
Mnet’s “Queendom Puzzle” first aired on June 13th. “Queendom Puzzle” is a program where a project group is created from matching former girl group members or female artists, as if they are “puzzle pieces” to create the best combinations via various stages.
More than 20 female singers decided to appear on “Queendom Puzzle”, drawing attention. However, prior to the first broadcast, Lee Chaeyeon and LABOUM Haein announced their departure due to personal reasons on May 18th.
In a situation where the exact reason for the two’s departure was not revealed, Lee Chaeyeon appeared in the trailer released by “Queendom Puzzle” ahead of the first broadcast. In particular, Lee Chaeyeon’s angry appearance right after her first stage occupied a significant portion of the trailer, raising curiosity about why she appeared on the show without editing even after dropping out.
At the press conference, the “Queendom Puzzle” side explained about Lee Chaeyeon and Haein’s departure, “We previously mentioned that it was due to personal reasons, and we apologize for not being able to provide more details regarding the artists’ personal reasons. Not only Chaeyeon but also Haein, all the participants prepared for a considerable amount of time for the stage, and there was a substantial amount of footage agreed upon by the artists and the production team. We thought that airing the recorded footage is a matter of respect for the artists, so all the recorded footage until the time of their departure will be revealed.”
However, Lee Chaeyeon’s screentime in episode 1 seemed quite different from the production team’s explanation of consideration for the artist who prepared the stage. In episode 1, Lee Chaeyeon appeared confidently and voted “down” to all the contestants who performed before her. She said, “Everyone is outstanding, but I came with the intention of winning. If I wasn’t going to be one of the final 7 members, I wouldn’t have appeared.” She selected Lee Hyori’s “Toc Toc Toc” to perform. She presented an eye-catching performance, but received 7 “down” votes. She could not control her anger backstage, saying, “I’m angry. What should I do?” The preview at the end of the broadcast showed Lee Chaeyeon dropping out of the show.
Contrary to the production team’s explanation, Lee Chaeyeon’s appearance in episode 1 seemed nothing more than a tool for generating attention rather than a genuine consideration for her preparations. Her departure was likely a calculated move to create buzz for the show. To avoid criticism, the production team needs to provide a convincing explanation for Lee Chaeyeon’s departure in the remaining episodes.
Source: Daum
