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K-pop controversies saw an all-time high in 2022, with every month bringing with it some unfortunate news. Many K-pop idols left their groups after causing scandals, while others were kicked out.
Bullying scandals such as that of former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam and Stray Kids’ Hyunjin caused them to receive a lot of backlash from netizens as bullying is one of the most common K-pop controversies in the industry. The popularity of the 2022 show The Glory, which highlighted the unfathomable bullying that goes on in schools in South Korea, also got K-pop idol bullying stories trending on social media sites.
The mistreatment of K-pop idols in the industry has always been an open secret and one of the biggest K-pop controversies, and it was forcefully brought to light due to the perseverance of Lee Seunggi, OMEGA X, and LOONA’s Chuu. Due to their unfortunate cases, South Korean lawmakers also introduced legislation to tighten scrutiny and prevent the mistreatment and abuse of K-pop idols.
OMEGA X’s mistreatment scandal and three other biggest K-pop controversies of 2022
1) Kim Garam’s school violence controversy
One of the biggest K-pop controversies of 2022 was that of former LE SSERAFIM member Kim Garam, who was removed from the group shortly after their debut in 2022. She was accused of being a bully by a few of her classmates. They claimed she was delinquent and often physically hurt other students.
Initially, Source Music denied these allegations and decided to take strict action against the accusers, however, public opinion was not on Garam’s side. After much deliberation, it was decided that her contract with the company would be terminated and that she would be asked to leave the group.
However, till the end, Source Music and HYBE maintained their stance on her innocence, and later on, it was revealed that a lot of the allegations against her were untrue.
2) Omega X being abused by their agency
Boy group Omega X’s mistreatment at the hands of Spire Entertainment was one of the most heartbreaking K-pop controversies of 2022. Fans of Omega X saw and recorded proof of the group’s mistreatment at the hands of the staff and CEO of Spire Entertainment. The group was verbally and physically abused on the streets and left stranded in Los Angeles.
When the news broke, the entertainment agency tried to pressurize the members who spoke out by asking them to pay a lump sum of one billion won if they wanted to leave the group.
Omega X created their own personal Instagram accounts and spoke out against the s*xual and physical abuse as well as the mental harassment they had suffered under their agency, and vowed to take strong legal action against Spire Entertainment. They have also terminated their contracts with the agency.
3) Lee Seunggi’s “slave” contract
The revelation Lee Seung-gi’s “slave” contract became one of the most stupefying K-pop controversies of 2022. Dispatch revealed that Lee Seung-gi’s previous agency, Hook Entertainment, had been scamming the artist for the 18 years he was under their care. He received zero pay for all of the activities he had conducted under that agency.
After Hook Entertainment was investigated for managerial mismanagement, Seung-gi demanded a transparent record for his fees as well. The company gaslighted him into believing that he was a “minus singer” who had not earned any profits in his entire career and that the agency had to suffer losses because of him. His agency also took 80 percent of the money he earned, according to the contract.
However, this was definitely not the case, as Lee Seung-gi was one of the top K-soloists in the industry and appeared on many K-dramas and variety shows as well. He was lovingly known as the "Nation’s Son-In-Law" for his charming personality.
The singer received 5.4 billion Won in reparations from the agency. He donated all of the money he had received to various organizations, which included a children’s hospital where he donated two billion Won, stating that he was happy just with the knowledge that he wasn’t a failed singer.
4) LOONA’s Chuu vs. Blockberry Creative
LOONA’s Chuu has been on hiatus from group activities since the beginning of 2022, and the reason only came to light when Dispatch revealed the K-pop idol’s dispute with her agency, Blockberry Creative, through a series of messages between her and her agency.
Chuu’s situation was one of the K-pop controversies that highlighted the terrible contracts that bind many idols to their agencies. The artist revealed that the company has not paid any of its members in the last six years.
Chuu is the frontman of the group and has appeared in many CFs as well as variety shows. Despite her work, she hasn’t received any payment.
When these matters came to light, Blockberry Creative decided to cut Chuu out of the group, stating that she was always on a “power trip” and abusing staff members. Chuu has also finally spoken out about these allegations and plans to engage in a legal battle with her former agency.
K-pop controversies seem to be getting more and more extreme with each passing year, and due to this, 2022 saw an increase in K-pop idols leaving their groups or being kicked out by their agencies due to the scandals they had been embroiled in.
