Stray Kids: The Hyunjin controversy, explained

At this point in time, we’ve already established that South Korean fans are absolutely ruthless when it comes to so-called “scandals.” Unfortunately, this time, it appears that Stray Kids‘ Hyunjin is the one under scrutiny.

Stray Kids have had their share of controversies over the years. However, considering the track record of K-pop fans, even something as ordinary as dating can stir up scandal and controversy — and unfortunately, Hyunjin’s situation is no exception this time. No group escapes unscathed from these types of scandals, but honestly, they shouldn’t have to. Adults engage in adult activities, and it’s about time for fans to recognize that the parasocial relationship fixation needs to come to an end.

With that said, Hyunjin has been trending for seemingly all the wrong reasons — but we’re going out on a limb here and blaming the downright rude fans. To understand what I’m talking about, this is what’s been happening.

What happened with Hyunjin from Stray Kids?

Hyunjin from Stray Kids was the target of several serious accusations and defamation by Knetizens.On March 14, an assortment of protest trucks were sent to JYP Entertainment’s headquarters, demanding Hyunjin’s departure from the boy group. Messages like “This is the third controversy. All three times it’s been about Hwang Hyunjin. What’s JYP’s standard to kick him out?” were captured in the aforementioned trucks.

These trucks were allegedly sent by numerous Stray Kids fans who were protesting in response to a controversy involving Han Seo Hee (not to be confused with the actress Han So Hee) and Hyunjin. On March 11, screenshots purportedly showing an alleged conversation between Han Seo Hee and a friend were shared online. In these chat logs, Han Seo Hee references dating some idols, and one message, in particular, caught the attention of many MOA:

“I wanted to make X cry but he showed up with cologne on. So I sniffed him and took off his hoodie, telling him he smelled nice. He had nice abs but I still didn’t get excited. X is really not my style. When you see celebrities, you get excited but X is really r——d.”

Many fans attempted to link the information to Hyunjin, claiming that the anonymous person with “nice abs” was him. The reasoning behind this connection is difficult to explain, apart from the fact that both Han Seo Hee and Hyunjin were trainees at JYP around the same time. However, the original poster of these chat logs confirmed that they were fabricated.

Is Hyunjin leaving Stray Kids?

At the time of writing, there are no indicators that Hyunjin will be leaving Stray Kids or JYP Entertainment. Moreover, JYP has also stepped in to defend Hyunjin regarding the trucks and the overall situation, releasing an official statement condemning all that occurred in the past few days. The company affirmed that it will not hesitate to take legal action against those attempting to defame the artist under their protection.

“Hello, this is JYP Entertainment.

We would like to update you on legal actions being taken in response to the defamation, false rumors, and unauthorized posts about our artists that are being spread on social media and online communities.

We have been diligently gathering evidence against those who have posted and disseminated malicious content aimed at slandering and defaming our artists. We are currently working with specialized law firms to pursue all available legal actions.”

Overall, this fabricated controversy only served as a way to fuel the unwarranted hatred that many fans hold for Hyunjin, giving them a completely ridiculous reason to attack the singer. Hopefully, both JYP and Hyunjin himself will not take any of the accusations lightly, nor will they make any harsh decisions based on fans’ completely unnecessary accusations.