[Trigger Warning/Content Warning: Bullying, School Violence]
In the midst of several Korean celebrities facing accusations of school bullying, claims against SEVENTEEN Mingyu being a bully during his middle-school days have now been raised.
SEVENTEEN Mingyu Accused of Being Part of a Group of Bullies
On Monday, Feb. 22, an anonymous person asserted that the "Mansae" singer is a perpetrator of school violence in middle school. The netizen came forward on a famous online community to accuse SEVENTEEN Mingyu of having been part of an "iljin" group during his time at Burim Middle School.
"Iljin" is a term used to describe students who go around in groups to bully other people.
ALSO READ: BTS, SEVENTEEN, & More: Hanteo Chart Calculations Reveal the Best-Selling K-Pop Albums of 2020
Although the original post has now been deleted, it quickly spread to other online communities. In the post, the netizen claimed to be a female student who has attended the same elementary school and middle school as the SEVENTEEN member. She stated that during her first year of middle school, other younger students and older students started picking on her, stealing money from her, and cursing her out.
This anonymous person claimed that Kim Mingyu was in the same group as these older "iljin" students, who watched and laughed at her while they pick on her on the way to school. She added that she was so scared of them that she cried while they bully her. She even mentioned the idol throwing a soda cap towards her face from 4-5 meters away and laughing at her afterward.
In addition to school bullying, the netizen accused the Korean rapper of smoking and drinking even though he was still at a young age. SEVENTEEN Mingyu also skipped school and got caught by teachers often, and even stole money from her, according to the netizen.
READ MORE: SEVENTEEN Proves They are among the Self-Producing Idols in Latest Episode of 'GOING SEVENTEEN'
Furthermore, the female student shared that after Kim Mingyu passed an audition for an agency, she received a text message from him asking if he could get a total of 5,000 KRW from her for his fare on his way to the practice room.
"He took me to the staircase and asked why I showed up to class when he told me not to. I had around 3,000 won and he just said 'Is that all you have?', took the money, and told me to go away," she added.
The netizen who accused SEVENTEEN Mingyu of school bullying supported her claims with a photo showing her middle school graduation album. Before deleting her post, she stated that she is not lying about the matter and that she will continue to expose the idol's bad reputation if no official apology will be issued.
Pledis Entertainment Releases Statement about SEVENTEEN Mingyu's School Bullying Accusations
Following the claims about the SEVENTEEN member being a bully during his middle-school days, Pledis Entertainment released an official statement, denying the allegations against Kim Mingyu. An official from the company said that the information that is making the rounds online is not true.
ALSO READ: SEVENTEEN, ITZY, and More: Idols Select the Artists They Want to Get Close to in 2021
"It took time for us to check the facts in detail. There is a graduation album that the accuser uploaded, but it is completely different from Mingyu's graduation photo. Also, unlike the article, which stated Mingyu was a trainee since 9th grade, he actually began his training in 8th grade. The post has been deleted. We don't understand why this person is making these claims," the representative detailed.
What can you say about the internet user's accusation against SEVENTEEN member Mingyu? Tell us in the comments!
For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz.
Owned by Kpopstarz
Written by Mhaliya Scott
