South Korean actor and singer Park Hyung Sik recently opened up about the challenges he faced during his early days as a trainee, revealing that he was bullied and isolated by fellow trainees.
He made the revelation during a recent appearance on "You Quiz on the Block," the ZE:A member said he was likely ostracized because he became a trainee after receiving a casting offer instead of going the traditional route of auditioning.
"Before joining ZE:A, I briefly stayed at another company that had cast me in a band competition. At that time, I had been cast, but there were other trainees who came in through auditions, so I probably looked like a 'parachute' to them. As a result, the other trainees kept their distance from me," he said. "In the end, it's all about proving yourself with skill, so I got used to practicing alone."
This isn't the first time he has spoken about being bullied as a trainee. Park previously appeared on SBS's "Healing Camp" where he revealed that fellow trainees ignored him and refused to eat with him, leading him to suffer from depression.
Things began to change after Park joined Star Empire Entertainment and became part of ZE:A. The group's members extended their support and helped him transition from isolation to a more supportive environment. Recalling those moments, Park shared how his bandmates encouraged him to eat with them and brought him out of his self-imposed solitude.
Park debuted with ZE:A in 2010 after three years of training and had a cameo in the drama "Sirius" in 2013. His acting breakout came with "The Heirs" (2013), where he played Jo Myung Soo, while his major breakthrough came after he starred as Ahn Min Hyuk in "Strong Girl Bong-soon" (2017).
