[Trigger Warning/Content Warning: Mentions of Suicide, Depression, Murder, and Abuse]
Charming, cheerful, and always positive are usually how people project K-pop idols. But some of them have stories in their past that will really shock and break fans' hearts.
The fact that K-pop stars are the inevitably the envy of many for their fame, comfortable living, financial stability, and to single out, living the "best life," prior to the glitz and glamour, stories of their past have stunned the mob several times, wherein some are, in fact, unfortunate and heart-wrenching.
Below is the list of idols' who have the darkest and saddest pasts that you probably didn't know about.
Girls' Generation's Tiffany
The then US-based Tiffany took the next plane to Korea in 2004 even if her father was extremely against her dream of becoming a singer. She had to do self-support and even had to teach English while polishing her Korean language. Later on, she confessed that her mom took her own life two years before she debuted as an idol. Imagining how hard it was to be away from home while her mother passed away, she preferred to be called Tiffany instead of "Stephanie" as it was a name her mom loved for her instead.
2AM's Jo Kwon
He was the longest-serving trainee in the K-pop industry, a total of eight years in the making as an idol. Being said, he had to lie about debuting dates and succumbed to pain and depression as it was not easy for him to spend almost his entire adolescent life as an idol trainee. Still, he persisted and finally became officially an idol in 2008.
TVXQ's UKNOW (YUNHO)
Would you believe that a handsome man like him used to sleep on the streets? Indeed, when his father struggled financially, his family had to suffer poverty. There were times when he slept at train stations for some time.
Former SS501's Kim Hyun Joong
While he was still inside the womb of his mother, the doctor had recommended to abort him as the mother was too early to get pregnant after his brother was born. He was almost beaten to death by two drunken men in his youngster days. He even lived on the street after his parents broke his guitar, which he bought from his own money.
Super Junior's Leeteuk
Being the leader of Super Junior is something Leeutek considers as a major success. However, behind the said accomplishment, he had a dark and sad past that in one of his interviews, he broke down and cried. His parents frequently fought with each other and he was often beaten by his father when he was young. He resented and feared him.
Later on, his father committed murder-suicide - killing Leeteuk's grandparents and himself in 2014.
Despite these idols faced sad and dark past, they have proven that the memories way back will not stop them for moving forward and seeing a brighter tomorrow after the storm.
