Park Junhwan, a member of the upcoming group IDID, has withdrawn from the group following serious and disturbing allegations that have recently come to light.
Starship Entertainment made the announcement today, stating that Park Junhwan decided to part ways with the group due to extreme mental stress over claims made against him.
On June 2, Starship Entertainment made the bombshell announcement via their official social media platform.
Hello, this is Starship Entertainment.
Regarding [Debut’s Plan] cast member Park Junhwan’s departure, we would like to inform you of the following:
The rumors about Park Junhwan circulating online recently are completely unfounded, and we have clearly confirmed through the student records of all grades and statements from school officials that Park Junhwan is a diligent and responsible student.
Additionally, activities of accounts posing as alumni in anonymous open chat rooms and other communities have been confirmed, and we have secured objective evidence that can be deemed as impersonation.
However, unfounded rumors, malicious slander, and persistent malicious comments have caused Park Junhwan, a minor, to suffer mental health pain that is difficult to handle, and the situation has worsened recently to the point that his daily life has been severely disrupted.
In response, we have been trying to help him with psychological recovery through consultation with professional medical staff, but as we have seriously communicated our intention to put down our team activities, we have decided to respect that and have enough time to rest.
Our company plans to continue providing unwavering support so that Park Junhwan can recover with his health through sufficient rest and start taking steps towards his new dreams, but no longer as an IDID member.
Meanwhile, regarding malicious comments, dissemination of false information, and sexual harassment directed at minors, we plan to take legal action against the initial disseminators and related parties based on Article 44-7, Paragraph 1, Subparagraphs 1 and 2, and Articles 70 and 74 of the “Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc.” and the “Act on the Protection of Children and Adolescents from Sexual Abuse.” Online sexual harassment and infringement of the dignity of minors are clear serious crimes, and we will never overlook them.
We sincerely apologize for causing concern to our fans, and we promise that we will continue to do our best to protect the human rights and honor of our artists.
Although he won’t be making his debut, we ask for your generous understanding of Park Junhwan’s decision to support the members, and we ask for your warm interest and support him in the future.
Park Junhwan was announced as a member of the group IDID on May 4, 2025. Since his selection as a member, he has faced serious accusations, including bullying, misogyny, creating deepfakes, and expressing desires to rape female idols.
On May 6, 48 hours after the Debut’s Plan finale, an accuser came forward with claims against him. Viewers were shocked when he was announced as the 8th member of IDID. They were not quite happy with the decision as they felt many innocent, talented participants were deprived of the opportunity.
Some people believe he secured his spot in the group due to nepotism, citing his parents’ alleged connections to Kakao, Starship’s music distributor. This theory is supported by some of his former classmates, who claim he often boasted about his parents’ connections. The controversy escalated to the point where wreaths were set up in front of Starship’s building demanding his removal from the group, but they were quickly taken down.
Meanwhile, IDID will now debut with a seven-member group, Jang Yonghoon, Kim Minjae, Park Wonbin, Chu Yoochan, and Park Seonghyeon. Their debut is scheduled for later this year.