4 K-Pop Idols Who Retired Then Tried To Make A Comeback And Received Hate For Their Decision
It’s quite common for K-Pop idols to retire due to major events, as many have gone on to retire due to scandals. There have also been some “retired” K-Pop idols who got criticized for trying to make a return to the entertainment industry. Here’s a list of some of these idols.
1. Sunye (Formerly of Wonder Girls)
Sunye debuted as the leader of Wonder Girls in 2007 but left the group in 2012 after announcing that she was going to get married to James Park, who is Korean-Canadian. Sunye also announced that she was going to be moving to Canada.
Sunye also decided to step down from Wonder Girls, which was a decision that was met with a lot of criticism. This is because Sunye was leaving the group before she completed her contract. Many netizens labeled her as a traitor, as they viewed her decision as selfish.
Many netizens assumed that Sunye retired from the entertainment industry and that she would live her life as a wife and mother. However, it was announced in 2018 that Sunye was going to be signing with Polaris Entertainment, and was going to make a comeback as a celebrity. Netizens criticized Sunye for her decision, as they still viewed her as the leader who betrayed her group. After making her solo debut in July 2022, she has continued to appear here and there within Korean Entertainment, currently hosting a weekly live broadcast about raising children.
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2. Park Yoochun (Formerly of TVXQ/JYJ)
In 2019, Park Yoochun decided to retire from the entertainment industry after getting involved in multiple scandals, such as drug use and sexual harassment.
Park Yoochun made shocking news in 2020 when he announced that he was going to be making his return as a celebrity. One of the first things he did was announce the sale of his new photobook.
However, netizens weren’t too fond of his quick return to the entertainment industry, as they believed that he should have stayed retired, due to being found guilty of multiple crimes. He signed with an agency in Thailand in 2021 to continue his activities and held fan events in Japan to celebrate his 20 year anniversary, which were criticized for their high prices.
3. T.O.P (BIGBANG)
While T.O.P never officially announced that he was retiring as a celebrity, he alluded to it on a social media post. In 2017, T.O.P was involved in a scandal where he was revealed to have smoked marijuana with Han Seo Hee.
Since the scandal, T.O.P has a relatively negative image among a lot of netizens. In 2019, T.O.P received a negative comment on one of his social media posts.
Reflect on your own actions. Don’t come back to Instagram and don’t come back to the entertainment industry either
— Malicious commenter
T.O.P then responded in a way that hinted that he had no plans of returning as a celebrity.
Yes, Sir! I don’t want to either. Just keep looking at photos of animals.
— T.O.P
However, it was announced that the current members of BIGBANG would be renewing their contracts with YG Entertainment in 2020. Many netizens criticized T.O.P for this decision, as they had thought that he retired from the entertainment industry. Since then, T.O.P announced he left YG Entertainment but was still present in BIGBANG’s single “Still Life”.
He has since been working on a number of business ventures, including a wine business and fashion. He officially withdrew from BIGBANG on May 31, 2023.
4. Jung Joon Young
Jung Joon Young was a popular soloist until his involvement in the Burning Sun Scandal came to light and it all came crashing down on him. While he did not officially retire, he was forcibly retired due to his prison sentence.
Due to his involvement in the Burning Sun Scandal, he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released from prison on March 19, 2024.
However after his prison release, he has been reported to be trying to return to the music industry, meeting with agencies and producers. He also was caught in a club in France, telling girls he would open up a Korean restaurant.
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