Wanna One Apologizes Following Controversy About Comments Made Before Broadcast

[showminomoney.livejournal.com]

Wanna One and YMC Entertainment have issued statements following a controversy surrounding comments made by some of the group members.

Wanna One took part in a live broadcast on Mnet’s website on March 19 to celebrate their comeback. A video of the members preparing before the broadcast has been circulated online, with a controversy formed over some of the comments made by members when they were unaware they were being filmed.

In the video of the group preparing before the show, some members joked about interview questions for the broadcast as they said, “Why can’t we receive payment?” “Why do we only receive 20 percent?” and “Why can’t we sleep?” Some members were also heard swearing, announcing their phone number, and saying a license plate number before telling the owner to stop coming in front of their house.

Wanna One has posted the following apology to fans through their fan cafe:

“Hello. This is Wanna One.

“We are sorry and are writing to apologize directly to our fans who love and support us.

“We are sorry for showing a poor appearance to our fans before the live broadcast today and disappointing you. We are reflecting deeply and we will try to always be careful and modest about all of our actions, as well as mature.

“We’ll work hard so we can show you a better image while always thinking of the undeserved love that you give us.

“Once again, we are sincerely sorry to everyone for causing disappointment and concern.

“From Wanna One.”

YMC Entertainment has also issued a statement following the controversy. They wrote, “Hello. This is YMC Entertainment.

“We deeply apologize for the fact that an unfortunate incident occurred during the preparations for the Star Live broadcast today.

“We are sorry for causing concern to the fans who have been loving and supporting Wanna One ahead of their comeback. We also think it is a shame that currently, even words that were not used in the videos that are circulating are being magnified and reproduced.

“We will play close attention so that similar incidents do not occur in the future.

“We ask for your interest and love so that the Wanna One members can follow their dreams.”

A source from Mnet has confirmed with a news outlet that the video was broadcast in error.

Rough transcription of the video:

Park Woojin : Till here
Park Jihoon : Why can’t we be free
Daniel : Why we can’t get payment
Ha Sungwoon : (laughing)
Park Jihoon : Why we only receive 20%
Ong Seongwu : Why can’t we sleep
Park Jihoon : Why the schedules are so packed
Ong Seongwu : Why can’t we sleep
Daniel : Hyung, is Mad Clown coming?
Ong Seongwu : Yo!
Staff : Everyone, can we move to a place where you can do live broadcast?
Daniel : I pooped this morning
Park Jihoon : Let’s reveal my phone number
Ha Sungwoon : Let me curse in advance fuck fuck fuck fuck
Park Woojin (to staff) : Where to?
Park Jihoon : 010 73xxxxxx is my number. Save it
Park Woojin (to staff?) : Okay, I’m here in Thailand. Let’s meet the natives
Lai Kuanlin : Sorento 9821, what were you doing in our house yesterday? Answer me Sorento 9821! Stop coming to our house

Source: Naver 1 2 & Nate via Soompi | ayoshiari on onehallyu

thank u ymc for 1) making the boys apologize for something that wasn't their fault and 2) not addressing the issues that the boys complained about. where is mnet's statement?

Comments

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

sasaengs = fucked up, not getting paid = fucked up, not getting to sleep = fucked up

making sexual jokes about using sasaengs for free handjobs (if true - most ppl denying this part are fans so idk what to believe anymore) and other crude comments at the top of your lungs in front of staff = you lost me there.

I see both sides of this basically. Some ppl don't deserve any criticism (srsly why is guanlin getting hate for calling out sasaengs???) but some others... look like dicks here. Unprofessional at the very least. Just not work appropriate to talk about some things, especially so obnoxiously.

[belintuchiha.livejournal.com]

this lol

[showminomoney.livejournal.com]

for context, since i've seen comments on other platforms wondering: they didn't know that the camera was actually live, they were just pretending it was, talking to the sasaengs through it. this was on mnet's new "star live" app (their version of vlive).

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

I bet this will make other companies not want to let their idols do a "star live" broadcast tbh LOL

[sparkb.livejournal.com]

Ofc they will choose to apologies bcs its easier rather than addressing the issue. Quick apology for quick move-on. Just the usual.

[queenhinata.livejournal.com]

mess @ Thailand and free handjobs comments

everything else is nbd

I don't get how it was broadcasted in the first place? why didn't staff delete the video? a little sus

[jyusou.livejournal.com]

Re: the Thailand comment it could just be a bad choice of words during translation (“locals” would be preferable), but that being said, I am at a loss for what the context of that comment was exactly @_@.

[annayism.livejournal.com]

call them out guanlin!!

i mean we can't expect them to be a group of perfect little angel boys even off camera when they're obviously frustrated and not getting paid or getting sleep. what they can do is to not be racist or disgusting with the handjob comments.

i would be more conflicted if i liked their new comeback song but i don't so they're gonna be off my radar for a bit anyways

[torontok.livejournal.com]

Okay hold on now.

I agree that the boys don't deserve flack for calling out sasaengs swearing or the "I'm taking a shit comment', but why have you omitted the most questionable part of this whole thing which is the "Free handjobs?" comment made in reference to sasaengs? That is something worthy of criticism. There's already a sordid underside to the whole sasaeng thing where many prostitute themselves out to taxi drivers to follow idols and how some idols take advantage of their obsession to sleep with them

And yeah, maybe they were goofing around because they felt comfortable but it does come off really unprofessional since there were staff from Mnet and not just their personal managers around. It reminds me of early Block B in a way.

And I'm not surprised they're being underpaid unfrotunately. With Mnet, CJ E&M, YMC and their hme agency all taking a piece of the pie they're probably only making a small amount compared to what they're worth

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

some ppl are saying guanlin also made a comment in response to the handjob thing about "only the pretty ones" too so I'm ??? I don't even know what to believe anymore because I come from the kpop era of "alicia keys is pretty for a black person", so I don't trust fan translations at all, but of course only fans are translating it lmao

it's funny you say early Block B because as a BBC, my first thought was "this is going to be their Thailand scandal"
this could follow them around for years tbh. this type of lacking professionalism is the one thing even male idols struggle to get away with.

honestly the sexual jokes and crude comments are bordering on sexual harassment if they're true. hostile work environment for women if they have to listen to this shit all day.

[peacefulscream.livejournal.com]

Guanlin had more lines here than in their title track.

[babyjenkski.livejournal.com]

+1,000

[alterlife.livejournal.com]

[daceymormont.livejournal.com]

Daniel: I pooped this morning

this was so random it actually made me laugh

[torontok.livejournal.com]

I actually found that funny lol, glad Danny is getting his fiber in

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

A bunch of boys act like... Boys. Shocking. If anything, this makes me like them even more because for once it shows their true, unscripted self. Love it. Hate the fact that from now on YMC will make sure that they stay in their idol persona even off camera.

[misspoirot.livejournal.com]

1. I work and the thought of swearing in front of my coworkers or even underlings (if you want to consider staffs inferiort to oppars - i def dont agree to this sentiment) is just plain weird. Scary and unprofessional tbh

2. I dont want to talk abt my digestive system either. Glad to know hes not constipated; shiz is annoying

3. The handjob is rude and unnecessary. nagl

4. What os this Thailand thing everyone has been talking abt bcs im lost

[babyjenkski.livejournal.com]

I didnt know about this but just read it from one of the comments above "negative stereotype about Thai people and South East Asians that they are loud and messy"

Woojin saying "Okay, I’m here in Thailand. Let’s meet the natives" while the room was loud and noisy with all those people was interpreted as him stereotyping the Thais.

[mlmello.livejournal.com]

the handjob comment, if true....... /sighs what a mess.

this whole thing just showed me that some of them are really obnoxious people that I would never want to work with lol most of the comments might not be problematic things but the attitude..... grow up. I can't imagine being a mnet staff (who has nothing to do with their messy situation with ymc) and having to deal with an idol saying "fuck fuck fuck fuck" while I'm just trying to do my job.

an unprofessional attitude might be one of the only things that can stick to a male idol image.
I wonder how things will go from here....

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

welp.



people are saying kfans talking about the handjob comment too so it's definitely not a mistranslation, although it could be a mishearing. people are being threatened into taking the video down now as well which makes me even more suspicious =/ I don't want this to be true but it doesn't look good.

[misspoirot.livejournal.com]

The follow up "only the pretty ones" is problematic af. I understand repeating smth you thought you wouldnt hear from a foreign friend (aka 18+ slang) but the "only the pretty ones made it seems like they knew for sure where the convo was going and not just a "where did you learn that from" situation

[rougepoison.livejournal.com]

Ignoring the handjobs comments because there's not really a source for it atm (unless I'm wrong.)

This just makes me like them a little. I like it when the mask slips and it just proves they're human. Extremely overworked humans. I'd be fustrated too if that was their situation.

[jyusou.livejournal.com]

Idol life is so repressive. I feel for most of the comments re: the sasaengs, the lack of sleep, the lack of pay, and tight schedules to be honest.

That being said, the sasaeng handjob comment, if true, is a big turnoff. The poop comment, lowkey funny but still a turnoff; unless we’re friends I don’t wanna know about your bowel movements thanks.

[misspoirot.livejournal.com]

IA if my co worker came in and announced to everyone in the room he took a crap this morning thatd be weird af

[miuratenshi.livejournal.com]

Yikes at the handjob and Thailand comments.

Otherwise I'm not really bothered. Wanna One actually being overworked and underpaid is a lot worse that them complaining about it. I don't think anyone actually thought they were gonna give out their phone numbers to sasaengs. Daniel poop comments were extra and Sungwoon's cursing unprofessional but I'm not gonna drop them over it.

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

heres the link to the video in case anyone wants to watch it. no subtitles tho, maybe our korean speakers can shed some light on the controversial statements

naver link (https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=gs_tnstngks&logNo=221232478354&proxyReferer=&proxyReferer=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.naver.com%2Fgs_tnstngks%2F221232478354)

edit: i uploaded it on streamable since mnet blocks every video on youtube
https://streamable.com/39ncf

[sonagi.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. The transcript is pretty accurate imo, minus the missing handjob comment. Sounds like the guy who calls out the sasaeng (sorry idk their names) is saying "Why did you come to our house yesterday? To give a free handjob?"

[boxcuttergirl.livejournal.com]

I just feel bad for the staff members that had to put up with all this

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

yeah that's my main issue, even the harmless stuff like shouting that you just took a shit and screaming fuck over and over is still super unprofessional and disrespectful to do around mnet's staff. even if some of the staff were uncomfortable they wouldn't be allowed to speak up about it which makes it even shittier.

[belintuchiha.livejournal.com]

they seem obnoxious, I can't with loud people but anyway, the things they complain about are def not wrong, like- they should complain all they want, the other handjobs, Thailand comments tho yikes.

[killua89.livejournal.com]

I missed the showcase to follow this mess and it was worthy because since the fans were busy no one could "correct" the people translating the whole thing and all the first trans talked about the handjobs comment so idk I trust them more than overprotective fans
I understand their complains they were filming for 17 hs without rest for the showcase and the pay is shit so w/e but the handjob comment is gross whoever it was fuck him

[black-swan87.livejournal.com]

Why do Koreans get so offended over cursing? I’ve watched a lot of hello counselor and they get more angry over dudes cursing at their wives than they do when they’re abusive towards them.


And this made me flash back to the one direction days when they got caught trying to arrange a three way with some fans

[scionofawhisper.livejournal.com]

"Broadcast in error" Sure~ lol.

They seem to have some legit complaints, but... that doesn't make their behaviour any less gross so.. :P

[dbsked.livejournal.com]

I am fine with cursing.
But cursing is not considered super offensive in my country, so I probably can not understand the issue properly here.

All other comments are gross.

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

they're still at work (prepping for the live) not in the van on the way over so there's no reason for this bullshit obnoxious attitude and behavior. a little fucking respect for people around you, both your own staff and the people you don't see every day. same thing happens with bands here and it's always infuriating to see. it's always from men too.


now the handjob comments especially...fuck off with that especially.

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

yeeeeah, I keep seeing ppl saying "they're just having fun and goofing off!" or whatever and I'm really hoping these fans are just too young to know better because... work is not for goofing off lol! Guys who act like this way in a professional setting are a nightmare to work with, both in a band setting (ah, the joys of being the only girl in the band...) or a "normal" job setting.

It's dumb, unprofessional, immature fratboy behavior that has no place on the clock. Makes already tedious things like soundchecks an exceptionally irritating process when loudmouth over to the left thinks he's a comedian because he can yell curse words or mouth off about sex / bodily functions.

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

Brick me but I'm not upset over the handjob comment. Sasaengs be cray and would love to give them handjobs anyways. Itd be wrong if they said that about respectful fans.


Anyways, i don't get the appeal of handjobs. Aren't they just sad replacements for blowies? I don't think i ever gave a handjob O.o Would't it just be awkward to just sit there stroking?

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

wow everything about this comment is so messy lol