“Maybe He Only Treats Girl Groups Well” — Netizens Have Mixed Feelings About ATTRAKT’s CEO After Former Girl Group Member Defends Him

It was previously reported that former girl group member, Kim Minhee from The Lush, had stepped up to defend ATTRAKT’s CEO Jeon Hong Jun.

The Lush. | OSCAR Entertainment

She debuted under the CEO when he was the head of OSCAR Entertainment. Seeing the dispute between FIFTY FIFTY and ATTRAKT, she couldn’t help but step up to put in a good word for her former mentor.

I’m so sad. Ever since our rookie days, he said that we had to have allowances to spend, so he always paid us from our event schedules, even though there were no profits. Thanks to our CEO, I was able to learn Mandarin, acting, and dance. He recognized me, believed in me, and gave me support. He’s someone that I’m very thankful for in my life. He always said that we were so good at singing, that we were kind, and like his daughters. He said that we only needed to be good in singing, and never let us see the dirty side of the industry throughout our time as trainees and singers. (To the point that after we stepped out from under his care, we really saw so much of the dirty things going on.) He’s really such a good person, and was like my own father. Even just a few days ago, as we texted, he said it was so good to see me living a good life. He was also worried for me as my father passed away not long ago. I hope that things get resolved and he receives the reward he deserves.

— Minhee

In response to the news, many Koreans feel that Jeon Hong Jun deserves better than this.

Netizen responses. | theqoo

• It doesn’t sit right with me, really. How can they do this to such a person…
• There’s no CEO amongst the small-to-midsized idol agencies…no, just amongst the entire industry, that’s like that. He’s such a good person that it seems like all the conmen gather around him. F*ck.
• He’s such a unicorn in the idol industry. If only my idols met such a person during their trainee days…
• It’s really so rare to find such a person in the entertainment industry. Seems like those young kids got greedy… We have to oust them from the industry.
• The CEO has been in the industry for a long time, but he’s still so kind despite that.
• I can’t sit right with this after reading her posts.
• He’s such a good person that it’s a pity. I don’t even know FIFTY FIFTY’s faces, but now I have to learn them. Although they probably can’t make a comeback after this.

On the other hand, some are also aware of the mismanagement that boy group HOTSHOT faced under Jeon Hong Jun. Jeon Hong Jun’s previous label, K.O Sound, had debuted HOTSHOT in 2014. This was around the same time that Jeon Hong Jun had debuted The Lush under OSCAR Entertainment.

Fans claim that Jeon Hong Jun mismanaged the boys, leading to Noh Taehyun and Ha Sungwoon actively requesting to participate in Produce 101. Even after Produce 101 ended, the agency failed to ride on the buzz to promote the group. Not only this, but HOTSHOT famously stayed in a small dorm with six men crammed into two bunk beds.

Fans also claim that the boys had to survive on three rolls of kimbap amongst themselves. Netizens begin to doubt Jeon Hong Jun, wondering if he only treated girl groups well.

Netizens’ reactions. | f Korea

• He got backstabbed after acting like a sweet middle-aged man LOL. He should’ve done better with HOTSHOT. He got what he deserved. BYE.
• It’s a problem that he is encouraging hate [against FIFTY FIFTY] when he only gave six grown men three rolls of kimbap for one meal, or a day even, but it’s also a problem that people hating on him and are believing this one line without knowing where it came from.
• Wasn’t it Produce 101 that grew Ha Sungwoon after [Jeon Hong Jun] neglected him?
• Makes me think of the old foggies in my company that act all sweet. I’m not gonna cheer him on.
• Sweet…
• Seeing how everyone is shielding him 100% in the dispute makes me wonder… Just how has he lived him life?
• It’s true that he’s super pitiable in the current situation, but I think he has to reflect a little on [what happened with HOTSHOT] too, Mr. CEO.

Looks like there’s two sides to every story. While he might have been a good CEO to FIFTY FIFTY and The Lush, he might have neglected HOTSHOT at the same time.