TEEN TOP controversy: Group to continue with 4 members after leader CAP’s removal due to controversial live stream

On May 11, 2023, TEEN TOP’s agency announced that the group will be moving forward as a four-member group after deciding to withdraw leader C.A.P following his recent controversial live stream.

C.A.P, aka Bang Min-soo, held a live broadcast on his YouTube channel BaetBoy on May 8. During the boradcast, some viewers pointed out his smoking on live stream and used harsh words while addressing the situation.

As per reports, C.A.P also mentioned that he was thinking of leaving TEEN TOP. He said this after saying that people’s reasons for telling him not to smoke or do other things may have stemmed from the thought that he was causing harm to the team. He shared that his contract was ending in July, so he may as well leave the group already.

TEEN TOP debuted in 2010 and enjoyed much popularity in South Korea as a veteran boy band. Recently, the group’s agency, TOP Media, confirmed that TEEN TOP will be making a full comeback in July as part of their 13th-anniversary celebration. However, the group will now continue with only four members - Chunji, Niel, Ricky, and Changjo.

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What was the controversy regarding TEEN TOP’s leader C.A.P?

TEEN TOP fans were taken aback when the group’s agency shared that leader C.A.P withdrew from the group. The announcement came on the heels of the now-former leader’s live stream on YouTube on May 8. In the broadcast, the K-pop idol called out people who were telling him to stop smoking and expressed his frustration at them.

In translation via allkpop, C.A.P addressed the comments that asked him not to smoke while on live stream. He mentioned that it “pisses” him off, further saying that he does not want to deal with people who switch on his broadcast one day and ask him to do stuff.

“First of all, it's these people who weren't even around to watch my broadcasts before, they just suddenly showed up because there was news that we were having a comeback. They suddenly show up here and say, 'You shouldn't be doing this or that'. And they sh*t on me and I don't wanna deal with that. They weren't even my consumers from the beginning, but they just think they can come here and tell me what to do, and I don't like that. It does not sit well with me."

TEEN TOP’s ex-leader continued with his flow of thought. He added that the viewers might be telling him what to do because they would have been concerned about the team, but not him. He shared his thoughts transparently, saying that people were focusing on him because the group was making a comeback but were not with him a few months ago.

“So I've been thinking, why are these people coming and sh*ting on me? And it's because I am a part of a team, and so their reasoning is that I might cause harm on the team... but see, if they were really so concerned about my actions, then they should have come to me about it at least 6 months ago, not now. If you don't like my actions, say so right away, not because the comeback is around the corner."

Furthermore, C.A.P said that it was better for the team to continue without him if he really was causing harm to their reputation.

“I'm thinking I might just not do the comeback. My contract is supposed to end in July anyway. So if I'm causing harm to the team as they say, then I guess I'd better just not be in the team. That's what I've been thinking for about a week now. Maybe it actually is better for them that they go on without me. I'm gonna think this through, and I will let you know by next week what I decide on. I will consult with my team and the company."

The majority of South Korean viewers and fans were unimpressed with C.A.P’s choice of words. The discussion snowballed into a big issue which led to TOP Media announcing that C.A.P was no longer a part of TEEN TOP two days after the broadcast.