Former K-pop idol Hyogyeong alleges dating-based casting, trainee debt abuse

A former K-pop idol who debuted with girl group ARIAZ says industry members at smaller agencies can advance their careers by dating company executives, and that trainees are saddled with personal debt before they ever see a paycheck.

The account, posted April 9 to Hyogyeong's YouTube channel "HYOKEY," offers a rare public look at practices at mid-tier Korean entertainment agencies — and carries particular weight for Korean-American families in Orange County whose children dream of careers in K-pop.

Hyogyeong, born in 1999, debuted under Rising Entertainment in October 2019 and ranked eighth on the JTBC audition show "Mix Nine." In the video, she was careful to distinguish between large and small companies. "I saw situations that were really messy while promoting an idol," she said, according to The Korea Times, which adapted the report from Xportsnews. "This didn't happen at a major agency that everyone would recognize. Those companies invest heavily before debuts."

Her most pointed allegation concerned a member at a separate agency who she said secured coveted performance spots through a relationship with the label's chief executive. "A member of a different group was dating the agency's CEO despite a large age gap," Hyogyeong said. "Even though she lacked skill and popularity, she always stood in the center or got the 'killing parts.'"

Hyogyeong also described the trainee debt system, in which pre-debut costs — styling, housing and meals — are assigned to trainees as personal liabilities. She said the arithmetic was bleak when she finally saw the numbers. "After about two-and-a-half years of activities, I received my first settlement statement — and there was no income, only debt," she said.

After ARIAZ disbanded in April 2022 following school bullying allegations involving a member, Hyogyeong spent two years pursuing acting. She said a production company eventually sent her a script whose opening scene she found inappropriate. "The company said the script was ready, but when I checked it, the first scene had me taking a shower," she said. "It even specified that I would be covered in tattoos. I still don't understand why that was necessary."

She said she turned down the role. "I didn't spend years training just to film something like that," Hyogyeong said. She added that the exploitation extended well beyond idols. "This happens not only to idols but also to trainees and rookie actors," she said.

Hyogyeong said she hesitated before going public. "I didn't know whether I should talk about this, but I wanted to prevent others from going through the same thing," she said. ARIAZ debuted in October 2019 and disbanded in April 2022; Hyogyeong posted her account on April 9.