Hyokey Reveals Her Relationship with Agency CEO Led to Her Being Assigned as Center

Former idol Hyokey has exposed unethical practices within an entertainment agency. Through her YouTube channel “HYOKEY,” she provided detailed accounts of structural problems in the K-pop industry.

In a video uploaded on April 9, Hyokey stated, “As an idol, I witnessed truly terrible situations,” adding that these issues did not occur at a major agency known for heavy investment before Debut, but rather at another company. She further revealed that a member from another group was in a relationship with the agency CEO despite a large age gap, and despite lacking skill or popularity, that member was consistently assigned the Center position or key performance parts.

Hyokey pointed out that such unfair assignments are not limited to idols. “This happens even with trainees and new actors,” she explained, noting that fans might wonder why certain members keep appearing in prominent roles. She argued this makes it difficult for fans to form objective judgments.

Hyokey also discussed the financial realities of the K-pop industry in detail. After working for two years and six months and finally receiving her earnings, she said there was no profit—only debt. This debt included all expenses prior to Debut, such as training fees, styling costs, housing, and food expenses. This practice, known in the industry as the “trainee debt system,” has long been a source of criticism but still persists.

Hyokey’s attempts to transition into acting exposed even more serious issues. After two years of training under a new agency and going through numerous auditions, she was cast as the lead in a film. However, the agency made unexpected demands. Hyokey explained, “They said the script was ready, but when I checked, the first scene was a shower scene, labeled as being covered by tattoos,” adding that she still does not understand why this was necessary. She stated, “All these years of training were not for such a project. While I respect actors who play such roles, I do not consider my body ‘sexy’ and have never aimed to be that kind of star.”

Hyokey was born in 1999 and placed 8th on JTBC’s audition program “Mix Nine.” She debuted with ARIAZ in October 2019, and the group disbanded in April 2022 following controversies including allegations of school violence. Through her revelations, Hyokey expressed hope that others would not experience the same things.