FNC Entertainment Continues To Face Extreme Criticism… As A 2019 Interview From AOA Chanmi’s Mother Resurfaces
Back in December 2019, AOA member Chanmi‘s mother, Lim Cheon Suk, sat down with the Korean press Hankook Ilbo for an interview about her life as a K-Pop idol’s parent.
In light of the ongoing bullying allegations from former member Mina, this particular interview has resurfaced…
… to account for AOA’s agency FNC Entertainment‘s “incompetence” and “lack of regard” for the members — both former and current.
Fans pointed out that Chanmi’s own heartbreaking struggle with mental health…
Chanmi didn’t get paid for five years. By the third year, she had severe depression. One day, around 4PM, Chanmi’s agency called me. They said Chanmi disappeared that morning. And the agency had banned her from using a personal phone, so Chanmi didn’t have one on her. I was able to email her though, which she checked on her iPad. She emailed me back. So I immediately closed my hair salon and took a train to Seoul. I arrived in the city and emailed her again. I was able to track her down. When I finally sat her down in front of me, I asked if she had eaten. She said no. I took her to a restaurant, but she didn’t take a single bite. We checked in to a motel and spent the night there. The next day, I took her to the Han River. I didn’t ask her anything until then.
— Lim Cheon Suk
… as retold in the interview…
On the third day, Chanmi opened up. She said no matter how hard she tries, she can’t seem to get any higher. She said there is only downhill from where she stands. She wanted to leave the agency. But to quit, she would have to pay back triple the amount of the money that got invested into her career — a couple million dollars. I ran some numbers and saw that if I pulled some strings I would be able to gather around 20K. So I told Chanmi if she really can’t survive another day at the agency, she can quit. I told her I’d take care of the rest. But Chanmi mumbled, “I’ve come too far to do that,” and went back to the agency. Since then, I became anxious and terrified. Their dorm used to be in an apartment on the 9th floor… and I worried that Chanmi would try to throw herself off or something. I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibilities… For two months, Chanmi didn’t want to look me in the eye or talk to me…
— Lim Cheon Suk
… only goes to show that the agency in fact “does not care about the girls at all.”
Meanwhile, the agency is yet to respond to the controversy surrounding Mina and Jimin. And though Mina’s latest update shared that she and Jimin — along with the managers, got to “sit and talk”…
… fans are thoroughly dissatisfied with the fact that FNC Entertainment has not released an official statement on the matter. AOA fans continue to grow enraged by the agency’s non-existent support and management.
Share This Post
