Starship Entertainment Announces Boy Group Member’s Removal From Debut Lineup Following Misogyny And Rape Allegations

In a recent announcement, Starship Entertainment has confirmed that their upcoming boy group, IDID, will debut without one of its original lineup members, Park Junhwan.

Park Junhwan | Starship Entertainment

Park got embroiled in a major controversy after his former classmates accused him of “sex addiction” and rape.

K-Pop Idol Accused Of Rape And “Sex Addiction” By Former Classmates 

In addition, several screenshots of his alleged text conversations with friends were revealed on online communities, showing a similar pattern of misogyny.

Read: K-Pop Idol’s Misogynistic Private Messages Exposed

With one exposé after another, fans have been protesting against Park’s debut as a part of IDID.

Initially, fans were outraged about Starship Entertainment’s silence on the issue. However, on June 2, KST, the company posted a formal statement announcing Park Junhwan’s removal from the group.

In the statement, the agency maintained its emphasis on Park’s innocence. They claimed that the allegations against him were completely unfounded, based on evidence acquired by the company.

The recent rumors circulating online about Park Junhwan are entirely false. We have thoroughly verified through his complete academic records and statements from school officials that Park Junhwan is a diligent and responsible student.

In addition, we have identified activity from accounts in anonymous open chat rooms and online communities posing as former classmates. We have secured objective evidence confirming these accounts were impersonating others.

— Starship Entertainment

Starship Entertainment clarified that it was Junhwan’s decision to step down from the group, and that he was receiving the psychological help he needed to battle the ongoing situation.

However, due to the baseless rumors, malicious slander, and continued hateful comments, Park Junhwan—a minor—has suffered severe psychological distress, to the point that his daily life has been seriously affected.

Our company has been working with professional medical staff to support his psychological recovery. However, as he has sincerely expressed his desire to step away from group activities, we have decided to respect his wishes and allow him to take sufficient time to rest.

Starship Entertainment will continue to offer full support so that Park Junhwan can recover his health and begin a new journey toward his dreams, even if not as a member of IDID.

— Starship Entertainment

Finally, the company also vowed legal action against those who spread malicious rumors against Junhwan, who is also a minor.

Meanwhile, we will be pursuing legal action against the initial spreaders and all involved parties for malicious comments, dissemination of false information, and sexually harassing statements directed at a minor, in accordance with Article 44-7(1)(1)-(2), Article 70, and Article 74 of the Information and Communications Network Act, and relevant provisions of the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Offenses. Sexual harassment and violations of personal rights against minors online are serious crimes, and we will not tolerate them under any circumstances.

We sincerely apologize for causing concern to fans and promise to continue doing our utmost to protect the rights and honor of our artists.

Although Park Junhwan will not be debuting, we kindly ask for your understanding and continued support of his decision, as well as your warm encouragement for his future path.

— Starship Entertainment

IDID will now debut as a seven-member group, including Minjae, Yonghoon, Junhyuk, Wonbin, Yoochan, Semin, and Sunghyun. The debut is slated for the second half of this year.