[theqoo] "BULLYING SCANDAL" APRIL'S FORMER ACQUAINTANCE "THERE WERE NEITHER PERPETRATORS NOR VICTIMS"

Q. What is your relationship with APRIL?

A. I have been with APRIL since I was a trainee in 2014. I currently have no connection to the company. I am not on anyone's side because they are all kids I cared for. I just hope that misunderstandings don’t crush everyone’s dreams.

Q. Why did you agree to the interview?

A. I was scared when the bullying controversy broke out in 2021. All the kids were so young. I heard one member say, “It seems like we have to d*e for this to end,” and I was really afraid of losing even one of them. After the recent video from KwakTube, the criticism directed at Naeun has been too harsh. Seeing the APRIL bullying incident turn into the Naeun bullying incident made me fear that we might lose her.

Q: There was a huge backlash following Lee Naeun's appearance on KwakTube's video

A: I watched this KwakTube video and thought, ‘What’s the problem?’ Isn’t he just expressing his own thoughts? Nevertheless, there is too much fraudulent materials (derived from the video) There was also a story that Naeun flirted with KwakTube for the purpose of coming back. I couldn't stand watching the video being extracted in increasingly malicious ways. The Naeun I had experience with was a very affectionate child who wiped food from her unnies' mouths and scooped out their boogers. Watching this incident, I wondered if people even wanted to know the truth and felt skeptical. I once met Naeun by chance during my hiatus, and she said, ‘I can’t even say anything in front of a camera like this anymore.’ She's now mid-20s, I couldn't understand what she had done wrong and how she deserved such criticism. She didn't commit a crime, did she? I came here with the hope that the little flap of my wings that I finally mustered up the courage to do would not cause any harm.

Q. Was there bullying or harassment within APRIL?

A: It would be an exaggeration to say it was bullying. There may have been mutual pain, but no one was unilaterally bullied. I believe there are neither perpetrators nor victims. It’s a group of teenagers. In fact, in a class of 30, you can’t be close with everyone. The same goes for idol groups. Not everyone can get along perfectly or like each other. The same was true for APRIL; some members resonated well with each other while others did not.

Q. But there is someone claiming to be the victim.

A: At that time, there were work logs documenting their daily patterns and attendance. Hyunjoo often missed practice due to illness since her trainee days, missing about ten days each month. She is the friend I’ve seen miss practice the most in my 15 years in this industry. Her health was not good, and since she couldn’t continue after debuting, she got a health check-up, which showed no major issues. However, she frequently felt unwell and her attendance was poor. Still, the company often supported Hyunjoo due to her health issues, which led to dissatisfaction among the other members. There were many days when Hyunjoo suddenly disappeared. I also developed panic disorder while working (?). However, there weren’t specific instances that directly connect to bullying. There weren’t any shouting or fighting incidents; everyone endured for the sake of the group. It can’t be said that Hyunjoo is a victim just because it was "one against many."

Q. Shoes, tumblers, and kimbap have been mentioned as evidence of bullying and harassment.

A: Eating kimbap during travel is quite common. The members sweated a lot, so they also used a lot of perfume. As for the shoes and tumblers, there was a lot of luggage at the dorm, leading to things getting mixed up frequently. While Hyunjoo may have felt hurt by those incidents, if we consider such things, there wouldn’t be a single member who hasn’t been hurt. Before the April bullying incident, T-ara, AOA, etc. suffered internal trouble due to bullying incidents within the group. The April incident was not a simple expression of conflict between Lee Naeun and Lee Hyunjoo, who were pointed out as the instigators of bullying. It reflects the interpersonal relationships within an idol group as they leave home as teenagers, live in a dormitory, and begin their social life, as well as the conflicts that arise as a result. In addition, we cannot help but think about the serious social problem that leads to character murder through SNS, YouTube, and online anonymous comments.

Q. Isn’t the issue that the company favored a specific individual?

A: The preferential treatment towards Hyunjoo was partly because there was a standard that "members should not be sick." Among the friends preparing for debut, some were actually unwell due to the physical strain of practice, while others felt sick psychologically due to fear. However, everyone endures these challenges to achieve their dreams. Some friends even take two-hour bus rides to the practice room. There are days when practice is fun, but practicing the same movements every day can be tough for anyone. People can’t always do only enjoyable things; practicing in the studio is part of the growth process. The other members performed well within the rules. However, if one person keeps missing practices during the time when everyone is forming bonds as trainees, it inevitably creates an imbalance. Entertainment companies are required to provide psychological counseling for members. The staff made significant efforts both during normal times and when the incident arose.

Q. The revelation by Lee Hyunjoo’s younger brother in 2021 was the catalyst for the incident.

A: I understand that Hyunjoo was raised well. I can see how, from the family’s perspective during the brother’s revelation, they might feel that way. I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault. However, the reason for non-prosecution states that “the relationships don’t seem good, but there was no bullying.” That is the fact. But I don’t understand why the public is so convinced that bullying occurred. It seems everyone is trying to ignore the truth. The haters appear to be trying to bully Naeun. Isn’t that, in itself, a form of harassment?

Q. But as long as there are people who see themselves as victims, it seems this issue won’t be resolved.

A. There are bound to be troubles in every idol group. It seems to come down to who throws the first stone. What if another member of APRIL had spoken up first, saying, “I struggled because of Lee Hyunjoo”? The measure of difficulty is subjective. Everyone struggles. Some endure to protect the team, while others cannot.

Q. Bullying and harassment within idol groups is an ongoing issue, isn’t it?

A. As times change, being an idol is increasingly viewed as a difficult profession, but when you think about it, the training volume during teenage years is often less than that of athletes. This is due to restrictions on practice time under the Youth Protection Act. Idols are kids who choose their dreams quickly and start their social lives early. Because they begin working at a young age, they might find it challenging to integrate into the team. To help with this, we conduct sessions on proper communication, teamwork, and MBTI for better understanding. While fans want all the members to be close, that’s just the perspective they desire.

The time spent together while forming a team creates value. Through shared hardships and laughter, they gradually come to understand each other. However, APRIL faced some shortcomings in that process. But they are all precious individuals, navigating through clumsy times. I hope no one gets hurt because of this. Most importantly, I hope there are no more victims.

source: https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/144/0000991309

original post: here

1. Unless someone can explain why the 7 lawsuits all failed, don't speak

2. I hope next time, someone asks why the 7 lawsuits and 7 losses happened

3. Lee Naeun sure has a good agency

4. They mediaplay just like HYBE

5. Can they stop already? Is that her previous company or current company doing all this? Both are trash

6. Hyunjoo-yah fighting, there are way more people supporting you, don't forget!!!

7. If Naeun thought about what's best for herself, she should know that it's better to just do nothing, the more she does, the worse she looks

8. Can they cut it down with the mediaplay already. They just want to keep on tormenting the victim. All you perpetrators, screw off

9. This was too transparent..ㅋㅋ Every time they do something it just makes me want to support the victim even more

10. The more they do, the more it's clear why the 7 lawsuits failed