Bullying can happen to anyone. Even these K-pop stars were sadly the victims of bullying in their youth. Keep on reading to know which idols experienced getting bullied when they were students.
1. (G)I-DLE Yuqi
In several interviews, such as with W Korea, Yuqi confessed that she was bullied as a student. She revealed that her peers used to make fun of her low-pitched voice, saying she sounded like a man. Because of this, she developed insecurity concerning her voice.
Even when she passed her CUBE Entertainment audition, she still felt hesitant about her voice. However, as she continued training, she became more confident in her voice. Now, she believes her voice is her greatest weapon!
2. BTS V
During a live stream, V said he was bullied by someone he thought was his friend. He noticed his friend saw him as inferior to him but chose to remain friends with him anyway.
However, the friend did one drastic thing that caused their friendship to sour. On a friend's birthday, his so-called friend told him the wrong location. He showed up at the wrong place and waited for three hours with a gift certificate. When he found his friends, V gave his friend the gift and left.
He revealed he cried hard as he walked home. It was later revealed that the friend who betrayed him was jealous that V was getting along with their other friends. The bully apologized to V two years after the incident.
3. SEVENTEEN Vernon
Vernon is half-American and half-Korean. Him being mixed race made him a target of bullying as a child. While living in the United States, he revealed that people would call him a "halfer."
In South Korea, people always stared at him due to his Western features. The idol is aware he looks more American due to his lighter skin, hair, and eyes. He revealed that he was often treated as an outsider due to his features.
4. Jeon Somi
In July 2020, Jeon Somi appeared on "Radio Star." There, she revealed that her friends bullied her after moving to a new school.
On the first day of third grade, she was selected as class president after her friends promised to vote for her. However, after winning, her friends became jealous of her. They started bullying her, which lasted until the sixth grade's first semester.
The idol revealed they would make fun of her being mixed race. They would call her "hybrid" since she is half-Korean and half-Dutch-Canadian.
5. Eric Nam
Eric Nam revealed that he was bullied while growing up in Atlanta, Georgia. His peers made fun of him for being Asian, asking stereotypical questions such as "Where are you REALLY from?" and "What's in your lunch box?" People also made fun of him for his appearance.
In middle school, a boy had even spat right into his eye. He recalls the moment as one of the most degrading points of life.
6. SHINee Taemin
When SHINee debuted, Taemin was just a middle school student. His fame as an idol sadly made him a target of bullying among his peers.
His classmates followed the idol. They would not allow him to pass the hallways and would bombard him with cameras. Whenever he tried to pass, people would accuse him of having "celebrity disease" and say nasty comments about him. Some students even threw erasers at him.
The bullying would eventually cease once his fellow SHINee members started escorting Taemin to school.
ALSO READ: 5 Female Idols Who Sparked Debate Whether They Suit Black vs Blonde Hair Better
For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz.
KpopStarz owns this article.
Written by Alexa Lewis
