Park Hyung Sik Was An Ostracized Trainee Suffering From Depression Prior To Joining ZE:A

Park Hyung Sik‘s past confession that he was ostracized as a trainee and suffered from depression has resurfaced online due to the continued discussion over bullying in the K-Pop industry.

In a 2015 episode of SBS’s Healing Camp, fellow ZE:A members, Park Hyung Sik, Im Shi Wan, and Kwanghee opened up about very personal stories.

And the part that is gaining particular interest online is Park Hyung Sik’s story about how he was outcasted by fellow trainees and suffered from depression as a result.

He shared,

I became close with the casting manager. So I opened up about my worries and stuff like that to him, but the other trainees must’ve thought I was sucking up to him.

— Park Hyung Sik

He continued,

I was just working hard, but the other trainees wouldn’t eat with me, and when I tried to talk to them, they would ignore me.

— Park Hyung Sik

And as a first-year in high school, that kind of treatment hit Park Hyung Sik hard.

From then on, I just told myself that I had to take what I had and do well all by myself. I was in my first year in high school at the time, but I suffered from depression.

— Park Hyung Sik

Luckily, Park Hyung Sik moved onto another agency, which turned out to be the one he debuted through with ZE:A.

He shared that when he would stay in his small studio and sing ballad all by himself, his fellow ZE:A members pulled him out and told him, “What are you doing in there all by yourself? Eat.”

Thanks to his fellow ZE:A members’ warmth, Park Hyung Sik was able to become a brighter person, but it was noticed that he still looked very dark when talking about his past as an outcast.

ZE:A debuted back in 2010, and although their contract with their agency expired in 2016 following their final album together, the members insist that they have not disbanded as they flaunt their strong friendship.

Check out the full clip below: