“We Are Unsure Of The Future Of This Fanbase”: Why E’LAST Fans Are Boycotting The Group
Content Warning
4th Generation boy group E’LAST fans (ELRING) are boycotting the group.
This year, E’LAST has been in the news for heartbreaking reasons. Recently, the group, consisting of Choi In, Seungyeop, Rano, Baekgyeul, Romin, Won Hyuk, Wonjun, and Yejun, was on their 2023 Thrill North America tour. Unfortunately, due to alleged mismanagement from the tour organizer MC Entertainment, it was filled with cancelations and ELRINGs not receiving all they paid for.
romin apologizing during the elast fansign in atlanta tonight :(( broke my heart hearing him say this to me pic.twitter.com/JIUPxTMQO1
— nico ♡ ̖́- (@lyunoia) May 18, 2023
AND it started at 7:40 ish when it should’ve been at 4
We were ALL kicked out around 9 something pic.twitter.com/uj9yZPdECB
— V💕e’last support✨🌶️ (@lovebombbv) May 9, 2023
I love you E’Last but Erlings DONT SUPPORT THIS TOUR‼️
•NO meet and greet
•NO high touch
•NO merch we paid for!
•and NO selfies!!ELAST LITERALLY LEFT THE VENUE CRYING!!@MCEKpop SCAMMED ALL OF US IN LA LAST NIGHT!! REQUEST A REFUND ASAP!!! (Or don’t buy tickets!! pic.twitter.com/VXvKGoUbtL
— V💕e’last support✨🌶️ (@lovebombbv) May 8, 2023
It got so bad that some ERLINGs were literally telling fans not to attend the tour, despite their love of the group. Likewise, many are now urging a boycott of E’LAST for a different reason.
Recently, E’LAST was accused of being funded by a South Korean cult. The investigative TV show PD’s Note has been covering the case of twin pastors who lead the cult at the Manmin Central Church in South Korea. PD’s Note suggested the K-Pop boy group is not merely funded by this cult but that their company E Entertainment‘s CEO, Ms. Lee, is a member of it.
Suspicions first arose when the twin pastors were spotted at one of E Entertainment’s musical actor’s overseas fanmeetings. So, it was suspected the cult was an investor in the company. Additionally, an escaped informant alleged that at least three church staff members became employed by E Entertainment and were confirmed by an ex-employee.
In 2019, Manmin Central Church’s leader, Lee Jae Rock, was arrested for sexually assaulting and raping eight underage female followers. He originally claimed to be the “son of God” and sinless. Upon his arrest, the twins became the cult’s leaders, but the church refused to abandon him while he was sentenced to at least 15 years in jail.
In PD’s Note, E’LAST is never directly mentioned while a K-Pop group is alleged to be funded by the cult. Still, fans can recognize that the blurred video shown is the “Thrill” MV.
E Entertainment has denied claims that they are affiliated with the cult, though. The agency sent PD’s Note evidence of its recent investments received, totaling around ₩400 million KRW (about $303,000 USD). However, PD’s Note believes that E Entertainment is withholding the truth, considering that it takes around ₩5.00 billion KRW (about $3.79 million USD) to produce and support an idol group.
Interestingly, the alleged CEO of E Entertainment, Ms. Lee, who has been named by various staff, singers, etc., is alleged to only be in her early 20s. Yet, she is already quite wealthy. Ms. Lee allegedly explained that her family has various businesses and is rich through that. Likewise, PD’s Note uncovered that she was allegedly born into the cult with the twin pastors raising her like a daughter. While Ms. Lee is the alleged CEO of E Entertainment and has attended meetings as such, she was allegedly listed as an internal director on the company ledger with a different paper CEO as the figurehead.
Due to these allegations, ELRINGs are increasingly concerned about the E’LAST members’ safety and do not want to support E Entertainment. So, despite loving the K-Pop group, they are urging a boycott.
We, in collaboration with @ELASTFrance and @ELASTSpain, have made an official statement calling for a boycott. pic.twitter.com/TgYbel63Gm
— E’LAST GLOBAL ♮ (@ELASTWORLDWIDE) June 4, 2023
#/BOYCOTTELAST is being used for traction. e’last are who essentially headlined this whole thing. not e entertainment or their actor. people know e’last more than they do the company. please recognize the # isn’t to boycott the members. #/boycottLOONA is used the same way. +
— andrea ☆彡 SEEING P1HARMONY!! (@urfavkpoppie) May 30, 2023
refusing to boycott is incredibly selfish. if you love e’last and you want to support & protect them you would be willing to do whatever it takes to get them out of that company. you guys are making it literally impossible to keep them safe right now and it’s fucking infuriating
— cory (@I4ndofnight) June 1, 2023
Block E'LAST on Spotify. Inform Apple Music that you would like to see less of E'LAST. Do not give any money to E Entertainment. We also encourage you to unfollow all their social media as well. We are unsure of the future of this fanbase but we hope you will boycott
— E’LAST GLOBAL ♮ (@ELASTWORLDWIDE) May 30, 2023
Stay tuned for more updates.
