Trainee A member LEO’s departure from group raises suspicion

HYBE’s pre-debut boy group Trainee A’s member LEO announced his departure from the team on August 25 in the A-Road vlog series’ episode 5. The episode was titled Debut elimination stopped, and trainees in confusion.

In the video, LEO mentioned feeling extreme pressure and burden, adding that he was worried about his future. He was in the pre-debut team from the beginning, and a sudden reveal of his departure citing mental health has concerned K-pop fans.

Part of the skepticism arose from the recent malicious comments and threats that were made towards LEO, regarding his controversy about misogynistic lyrics.

Fans wondered whether the trainee experienced a tough time deciding if HYBE would be able to protect him, since the same company was criticized for its alleged lack of protection of the ex-LE SSERAFIM member, Kim Garam.

Conversations surrounding bullying K-pop idols also popped up, as many fans claimed that the trainee might have been going through a hard time because of his controversy earlier - which he had apologized for.

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LEO leaves pre-debut team Trainee A, people speculate on hidden messages

On August 25, Trainee A released episode 5 of their A-Road vlog. It centered around the seven members’ daily lives and their quest to debut as a K-pop group. The fifth episode saw the group practicing non-stop and monitoring themselves harshly as their debut evaluation date neared. In particular, the episode focused on a struggling LEO.

The 20-year-old trainee was seen grappling with stress and pressure. During the debut evaluation, when a senior staff member gave constructive criticism of the group’s performance, LEO had his head down the entire time.

Later, the trainee opened up about his struggles and informed his fellow team members about his decision to leave. While the members tried comforting him, LEO cried and apologized for leaving the team, as he knew the decision would force Trainee A to restart from ground zero.

In another solo vlog, LEO shared that he was unsure about his future. Three and a half years of training had given him countless memories, but each passing day had him worried if it was the right path for him.

However, K-pop fans believe that there is a deeper meaning behind LEO’s departure from Trainee A. While it is not uncommon for trainees to leave a debut group, the public showcase of the 20-year-old’s exit felt different to them - especially since it arrived after his controversy over writing offensive and misogynistic lyrics for a song.

The controversy gained attention with every passing hour. This led to offensive comments and death threats made towards the trainee, long after an apology was made from both LEO and HYBE. Many believe that it was the trauma behind reading the online hatred people spewed about him that made LEO succumb to despair.

On the other hand, many speculated that the Trainee A member may have doubts about HYBE’s lack of protection for its artists. The thought arose from netizens claiming that the company had not defended Kim Garam properly, after she allegedly released her side of the story following her departure from the group.

LEO’s fans hoped for the trainee to rest well, get better and promised to support him in all his future ventures.