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On March 1, 2023, Studio PAV, the concert organizer for BLANK2Y, announced the cancelation of the group’s upcoming US tour. The notice comes three days after the group’s agency, Keystone Entertainment, informed fans about Youngbin's removal from the group on allegations of assault.
The US tour was scheduled to kick off in two months on May 2023. However, the sudden removal of a member seems to have brought in multiple logistical and choreography issues, leading the company to take a drastic step.
For fans who were awaiting the Thumbs Up singers' tour, the announcement came as a surprise. While some were content with the decision, others were disappointed and wondered about the remaining members’ determination to meet fans.
BLANK2Y canceling US tour receives mixed reactions from fans
BLANK2Y was originally a nine-member K-pop boy group that debuted in May last year. It consisted of several members who had either debuted with another group or were part of idol survival shows. The group received average responses but managed to earn a dedicated fandom who supported their favorite idols after witnessing them struggle in other places.
However, trouble brewed for the Thumbs Up singers again as their agency, Keystone Entertainment, announced that they will be canceling the group's upcoming US tour. In an official statement posted on March 1, the agency stated that the US tour was canceled in light of a “recent event," explaining:
“Due to the recent event, we will not be moving forward with “BLANK2Y 1ST U.S. TOUR” that was planned for May 2023 [. . .] We will closely monitor the situation and possibly reconsider the tour for the future.”
The “recent event” in question was apparently Youngbin’s dating violence allegation that began as a rumor and was later confirmed when the agency removed him from the group on February 26.
Holding a US tour and meeting fans was naturally a big event to look forward to, both for fans and the group. It was also supposed to be the group’s first-ever tour, according to some fans. Deciding to cancel the tour as a result of a member's wrongdoing was heartbreaking for fans, who had mixed reactions to the announcement.
Take a look at how fans reacted to the US tour cancelation notice:
Why was Youngbin removed from BLANK2Y?
On February 25, 2023, an anonymous netizen posted a lengthy story mentioning an idol’s violence against their friend, who was the idol's girlfriend. The idol’s name was abbreviated only as “Y” in the posts.
In the post, the netizen mentioned that Y wasn’t from a big group but still had a loyal fandom beside him. They alleged that the idol physically assaulted and strangled his girlfriend after she asked for a breakup. The idol and his girlfriend had been dating for three months. The netizen also added that their friend (Mr. Y’s girlfriend) also lodged a statement with the police for the same on February 19.
The netizen also posted pictures of the couple (with their faces blurred), screenshots of a text message from Gangnam Police Station, and screenshots of the couple’s text conversations. In the text conversation, Y acknowledged that he assaulted his girlfriend in multiple ways and apologized.
While the name was initially kept under wraps, the partially covered photos suggested that the idol was Youngbin. The next day, on February 26, Keystone Entertainment announced his removal from BLANK2Y.
