Lee Seung Gi Takes Heat Over His Treatment Of Trainees

“…mask abuse behind the facade of hard work…”
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Koreaboo

Lee Seung Gi is currently facing criticism over his treatment of survival show trainees.

Lee_Seung_Gi
Lee Seung Gi

Starlight Boys, an ongoing South Korean and Chinese boy group survival show, recently premiered via iQIYI and SBS on October 26, 2024. Sixty-nine male contestants worldwide are currently competing for a spot in the final top 9.

While Lee Sung Kyoung is the MC, Lee Seung Gi, BIGBANG’s Daesung, Choi Youngjoon, Hanhae, Kwon Eun Bi, Pentagon’s Hui, THE BOYZ’s Eric, and STAYC’s Yoon are judges (known as “Guiders”).

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During the latest episode, the trainees faced a challenge that upset many watchers. To narrow down the number of trainees, they were challenged to dance to the signal song, with the final contestants selected having danced almost continuously for an hour.

Tears And Hospital Visits — Survival Show’s Shockingly Brutal Challenge Enrages Viewers

Around the 12th round when many of the trainees started showing fatigue, Lee Seung Gi commented that they couldn’t be tired yet.

When trainee Sun Yinghao began the calls for a the competition to stop as the number of rounds danced approached 20, Lee Seung Gi spoke to the trainees at large, saying that while he did understand Yinghao’s point of view, the challenge was done to show trainees who would “put in great effort.”

He also compared the situation to a concert, saying that it would take away the audience’s “right” to see a singer’s “eager” performance.

In addition to his actions during this challenge, some have criticized him for allegedly targeting BAE173’s Hangyul. Fans pointed out his allegedly more “aggressive” judgment of Hangyul than that of other trainees.

Lee Seung Gi’s mistreatment under Hook Entertainment brought about the Lee Seung Gi Incident Prevention Act, which requires companies to disclose their earnings settlement details to their celebrities at least once a year and provides extra protections for underaged celebrities.

This likely also fueled more of the criticism directed at him as some of the trainees are underage.

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