Recently, the 2017 Mnet survival show 'Idol School' was facing a lot of problems such as having a poor living condition, unfair treatment, and vote manipulation.Due to that, the student of Idol School, Jessica Lee or also known as Lee Seul, broke her silence and released her statement regarding the program in a video clip that she released.
She posted a video clip where she shared what she experienced in Idol School and saying that the show helped her to make realize that being a K-pop idol wasn't destined for her.
Idol School executed an audition that only 4 of the 41 students who went to auditions among the 3,000 contenders. Jessica admitted that she is not included in those four contestants who have taken part in the auditions. She also said that she doesn't know that there is an audition that happened and said sorry for the "unfair opportunity" that she is getting.
Jessica said that she was permitted by her parents to continue to go on the show. She shared that she went to one of the writers when she found out that the first eliminations will occur and asked them to eliminate her.
"I knew that after about a month I was just kind of like a prop of that show."
Jessica said, "I told her, 'I have so much more important things that I have to do in my life instead of staying here for how many more weeks.'"
She also discovered that her father also went to the writers and ask to eliminate her, however, she was not sure if that is the real reason why she got eliminated.
She said, "I also didn't know that my phone would be confiscated and my contact with the outside world would cease."
Jessica shared that her phone was taken away and placed it in a certain bag and she can't able to use it for two months before the show started. In spite of saying some promising words to the people before the show, saying that she can able to do everything that she was told, she still can't able to communicate with her family and friends outside.
Jessica also shared about the severe diet that the contestants needed to face. She also said that some of the contestants needed to hide their snacks in their underwear, however, the managers always checking the bodies of the students.
Jessica stated, "That act if I think about it now, is violating human rights."
She said that she even gave her a credit card and asked to buy 50 chocolate bars where she is eating it in the bathroom. She shared that they were checking their weight regularly and if they gained around 2.2 pounds, they will reduce the servings of food while they let those students purchase snacks in the store if they lose weight.
She said that she protested to one of the managers after getting one single french fry and one piece of meat because she needed to lose weight.
Jessica Lee also said that the show will wait for so many hours to get the words that they wanted to hear from the students during their interview. During her interview, she said that she will become very happy when she was eliminated which makes the interviewer frustrated by her.
She also said that the show should have been called a drama and not a reality show.
"As Hae In Eonni mentioned, it was like a drama, really." She added, "There were times when we had to look at a blank screen and react. There was a time when we had to answer to our teacher, 'Okay, teacher!' when he wasn't actually there."
She also mentioned the contract issues that were given to some of the contestants. According to her,
"I was asked to sign the contract during the show before I got eliminated. They said they plan to create a team Bout of the people who don't make it to debut. I refused, and they asked me again after my elimination. By sugarcoating their words like, 'If you don't want to be an idol, we can give you opportunities for acting too,' they asked me to contact them if I changed my mind. However, I refused this one again."
At the end of the video, she gives a message to those people who wanted to become a K-Pop idol. Jessica Lee stated that the opportunities in the K-Pop world didn't just for those who are determined, enthusiastic, and passionate.
"Depending on the decision of the people who are in the 'higher position' than you, you could be seen as a totally different person."
She added, "Or in this particular show, you might not even be seen. Just like me!"
