The renowned South Korean boyband SEVENTEEN's Seungkwan recently posted a moving Instagram message that dealt with the hard realities that superstars encounter. Through the post, the K-pop star shed light on the abuse and constant pressure that stars face in the Korean industry. 


In his message, Seungkwan emphasised the importance of fans and industry professionals showing love and understanding. His message comes as HYBE, the production firm responsible for SEVENTEEN, is under fire for how it handles its idols. HYBE has been under fire from competing agencies including JYP, SM, and YG Entertainment. For the unversed, BigHit Entertainment, the predecessor of HYBE, acquired SEVENTEEN’s agency PLEDIS in 2020.


Seungkwan wrote, “I no longer want to see us hurt each other. I’ve tried to quietly endure it, hoping things would pass, but now I can’t stay silent anymore,” in a long caption that conveyed his sadness. 


He continues by saying that he hoped things would get better with time. He said, “As I’ve watched everything that has happened over time, I kept moving forward with the hope that somehow, things would pass, holding back my emotions and working hard with the members, just as I’ve always done. But now, watching and waiting for the fire to die out is no longer an option. For my people who are getting hurt – my fans and my members – for all my colleagues who are working hard at this very moment, I feel I can no longer remain silent.”


Being an artist, he stressed, does not give someone the freedom to get into other people's private lives. “You don’t have the right to easily involve yourself in our story. This goes not just for us but for other artists, too. We are not your commodities. I hope you don’t think you can just use us however you like,” he shared.


Seungkwan Expresses Gratitude 


In his heartfelt post, Seungkwan concluded with a touching message: “Thank you and I love you. I just want everyone to stay healthy and happy.” He accompanied his emotional write-up with several photos of the K-pop star captivating audiences during a concert.