Former Xdinary Heroes Leader GUNIL Addresses Fan Insult Controversy Following Departure

GUNIL, leader of the group Xdinary Heroes, has released a lengthy statement regarding his departure from the group.

On August 13, after JYP Entertainment officially announced that GUNIL would be leaving Xdinary Heroes, GUNIL posted on a fan platform, "This will likely be my final greeting to you as a member of Xdinary Heroes. I truly wanted to remain with Xdinary Heroes until the very end and keep the group as the six-member group, but as you know, I had no choice but to accept the company's decision."

Controversy previously escalated when an online post written by an individual claiming to be GUNIL's ex-girlfriend began spreading. In the post, the writer claimed that after concerts, GUNIL vented his frustrations about fans and even made harsh remarks such as wanting to "slap their faces," adding that he frequently badmouthed fans in private and differed from the bright image he displayed on broadcast.

In response, GUNIL stated, "Since I am no longer a member of Xdinary Heroes, I do not want to hide the truth or make false excuses for my own sake." Regarding the individual who initiated the controversy, he explained, "It was someone I got to know through an acquaintance and dated for about two weeks. At the time, I was mentally exhausted from ongoing malicious comments, false rumors about me, and various anxieties regarding Xdinary Heroes' music and performances. It was a time when opening up about my frustrated feelings to a stranger who didn't know me well felt more comfortable than confiding in those close to me."

Admitting to making the comments in question and apologizing for them, GUNIL also addressed the circumstances surrounding his statements at the time. He added, "Earlier this year, there was an incident where sasaeng fans broke into our dorm, and someone even attached a location tracker to my personal vehicle to follow me around. Going through those experiences filled me with immense fear and resentment toward certain malicious fans, and I went through a very difficult time mentally. As the leader and the oldest member, I couldn't easily talk about my fear or anxiety, so I tried my best to manage my emotions on my own."

Regarding the timing of his comments, he pointed to the concert at INSPIRE Arena this past June as the turning point. GUNIL stated, "Along with the members, I prepared with the single-minded goal of giving Villains the absolute best performance possible, and after finishing the first day's show, I checked social media with high expectations." He continued, "Seeing unexpected criticism and malicious comments caused me to break down emotionally. Not wanting to worry the company or my fellow members, I couldn't express how I felt, and in the end, while opening up about those pent-up emotions to someone I had only recently met, I carelessly blurted out harsh and wrong expressions."

GUNIL admitted, "I never imagined that conversation would be recorded and made public," but acknowledged, "Regardless of whether it was made public or not, I clearly know that me saying such things in itself was wrong."

However, he drew a firm line regarding who his remarks were directed toward. He emphasized, "The targets of my emotional statements at the time were certain malicious fans who hid behind anonymity to recklessly criticize us or invade our privacy. My words were absolutely not directed toward all the Villains who believed in us and supported us." He apologized again, adding, "Because I had tried so hard to show a diligent and dependable image as a leader, the disappointment and sense of betrayal you felt must have been even greater. I am truly sorry for that."

Regarding his relationship with his fellow members, he stated, "It would also be a lie to say I never had any grievances with the members, considering we always lived together and shared so much of our work and private lives." However, he affirmed, "I can say with absolute confidence and without a shred of shame that throughout my time promoting with Xdinary Heroes, I sincerely cherished and loved the members, and I was always grateful for the love sent by Villains." He also left the message, "To me, the members were always people I was proud of, and Villains were always people I was grateful for."

Xdinary Heroes is a six-member band that debuted under JYP Entertainment in December 2021, and with GUNIL's departure, they will continue activities as a five-member group.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)