"I felt terribly sorry" - Former Stray Kids member Kim Woojin addresses his departure from the group in YouTube documentary video

On Monday, April 1, Kustomade released a video under Kim Woojin's official YouTube channel. The video, which was no longer than five minutes, was titled, Reverse: Breaking The Silence. It showcased the idol talking about entering a new phase in his life, as a soloist who aims to upgrade his music and presence in the industry.

While he started off by talking about his recent schedules and what he has been doing lately, the video slowly navigated towards his departure from Stray Kids.

In 2019, Kim Woojin left the newly debuted K-pop boy group with little to no explanation, which left fans confused and upset.

Addressing the same, the idol stated that though he was late to it, he apologized for his behavior. He explained that he was too young when he made that decision, adding that he put himself first rather than thinking of Stray Kids as a group.

"In the past, after leaving the team like that, I feel terribly sorry about it," he said.

In addition to his apology, he also expressed that he hopes his career, henceforth, would be something that gives solace and comfort to the listeners.

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Korean soloist and former Stray Kids member Kim Woojin says he is emphasizing "personal storytelling"

Last month, it was reported that Kim Woojin is expected to make a fresh debut under Kustomade, SM Entertainment's subsidiary under Kreation Music Rights. The agency was launched on March 18.

However, before the idol launched his debut, a small documentary clip titled, Reverse: Breaking The Silence, was released by Kustomade, where he was seen addressing his past departure. Here's what Kim Woojin said about the matter:

"Back then, I focused on the listeners' preferences, rather than my personal storytelling in my music. But nowadays, I'm prioritizing my personal storytelling. I felt that conveying my story was quite a significant matter. After experiencing that nonsense, I decided to speak more clearly about myself."

After briefly explaining how the criticism he received took a toll on him, he continued to address his exit from Stray Kids and apologized for the same:

"It was quite shocking. They make irresponsible comments and do not listen to my words. I felt quite frustrated by that whole situation. From now on, if I had to speak up, I decided to deliver my thoughts more clearly. In the past, after leaving the team like that, I feel terribly sorry about it. Back then, I was still young. I focused on my situation first."

Kim Woojin concluded the video by expressing the kind of artist he'd like to be in the future as he makes his debut under SM Entertainment's Kustomade:

"Although it's a bit late, I would like to apologize to all the people who were hurt by that incident. I would like to express my deep apologies. I want to talk about myself in my songs now. Every hardship has its phase, right? I believe that showing sympathy through music can bring solace. Hence, it might sound a bit too cliche, but I want to be a singer that makes sympathetic music and brings comfort."

Back in 2019, Kim Woojin was announced to have departed the then-rookie K-pop boy group Stray Kids. The statement about the same only mentioned that it was due to personal reasons. The idol's sudden departure from the group also negatively impacted the group's public image.

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Now, while some netizens are looking forward to the idol's new career, others have taken to social media to express their disinterest in the same.