Popular Agency Admits They Lied And Submitted Two Trainees To “Boys II Planet” As Individuals When They Originally Belonged To Their Label
It has been revealed that Kim Gunwoo and Kang Woojin, who appeared as individual trainees on Mnet’s audition program “Boys II Planet,” were in fact trainees under WAKEONE, a subsidiary of CJ ENM. This revelation has sparked controversy surrounding the authenticity of the program. While WAKEONE released a statement to clarify the situation, suspicions of “producer interference” are now being raised.
On the 21st of July, WAKEONE officially stated via its website, “Kim Gunwoo and Kang Woojin, who are currently appearing on ‘Boys II Planet’ as individual trainees, are in fact WAKEONE trainees.”
Kim Gunwoo, in particular, drew attention even before the show aired after being chosen as the center for the show’s signal song. WAKEONE explained, “At the time of applying for the program and undergoing the audition process, he had not yet signed a trainee contract with us. He had already prepared for the show as an individual, and due to scheduling issues, it was difficult for him to participate as part of the team with other WAKEONE trainees.”
Kang Woojin gained attention during the first broadcast on the 17th after singing BoA’s “Atlantis Princess.” WAKEONE commented, “Kang Woojin was training with the goal of becoming a singer-songwriter. He had a different musical concept from our existing trainees preparing for the show and had not undergone professional idol training. So we concluded that it was more appropriate for him to appear as an individual.”
WAKEONE continued, “This matter is entirely our responsibility, and we believe both trainees’ efforts and challenges deserve respect. After long and deep discussions to make a responsible decision, WAKEONE and the two trainees agreed to terminate their trainee contracts.” Both Kim Gunwoo and Kang Woojin will continue appearing on the program as individuals with no agency affiliation.
Kim Gunwoo also faced controversy when, ahead of the show’s first broadcast, a post exposing his past behavior spread on social media on July 16. Although the post did not mention his name directly, it quickly spread through online communities, and netizens pointed out Kim Gunwoo as the individual in question.
The poster claimed that Kim Gunwoo, during his time as a trainee at B Entertainment, was favored by high-ranking staff members and used this favoritism to look down on or act rudely toward others. The post also alleged that he skipped dance lessons to drink or travel to Japan with team leaders and directors and even raised suspicions of embezzling company funds during that time.
Regarding this, WAKEONE stated, “Since Kim Gunwoo was participating in the program in an individual capacity, we regretfully acknowledge that we failed to fully fulfill our duty to protect him as his agency. Though the trainee contract has ended, we will actively take action regarding any claims that are not based on fact.”
Kim Gunwoo also released a handwritten apology on the same day, saying, “Regardless of the reason, I sincerely apologize for the words and actions that caused pain and hardship to many people, as stated in the post.”
Source: (A)
