The article discusses the allegations of sexual harassment and assault made by two former foreign trainees, Elin and Miyu, against a staff member at a K-pop training company in South Korea. The staff member, who has not been named, allegedly touched them inappropriately while they were being trained, and also installed CCTV cameras in their dormitory room without their consent.
The allegations were made public after the two women spoke to the BBC, saying that they had been too afraid to speak up earlier due to fear of being dropped from the program or damaging their chances of becoming K-pop idols. They also claimed that the company's management had been aware of the incidents but had not taken adequate action.
The company in question has denied all allegations, stating that it "strictly prohibits anyone from entering the female trainees' dormitory without being accompanied by a female staff member" and that CCTV cameras were installed for "safety reasons". However, Elin claims that she was never told of this policy before her time at the company.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in South Korea, with many calling for greater accountability within the K-pop industry. It also highlights the challenges faced by foreign trainees who come to South Korea to pursue their dreams of becoming K-pop idols, including language barriers and unfamiliar laws.
Elin and Miyu have spoken out about their experiences in an effort to raise awareness and support for others who may be going through similar situations. They have expressed hope that their story will inspire other young women to speak up and seek help if they are experiencing any form of abuse or harassment.
The article also mentions the impact on BTS, a popular K-pop group that has faced criticism from some fans for not speaking out against the incident earlier. However, the group's management team has since released a statement condemning the behavior and urging fans to support those who have come forward with allegations of abuse.
Overall, the article highlights the need for greater accountability within the K-pop industry and the importance of supporting victims of abuse and harassment.
The allegations were made public after the two women spoke to the BBC, saying that they had been too afraid to speak up earlier due to fear of being dropped from the program or damaging their chances of becoming K-pop idols. They also claimed that the company's management had been aware of the incidents but had not taken adequate action.
The company in question has denied all allegations, stating that it "strictly prohibits anyone from entering the female trainees' dormitory without being accompanied by a female staff member" and that CCTV cameras were installed for "safety reasons". However, Elin claims that she was never told of this policy before her time at the company.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in South Korea, with many calling for greater accountability within the K-pop industry. It also highlights the challenges faced by foreign trainees who come to South Korea to pursue their dreams of becoming K-pop idols, including language barriers and unfamiliar laws.
Elin and Miyu have spoken out about their experiences in an effort to raise awareness and support for others who may be going through similar situations. They have expressed hope that their story will inspire other young women to speak up and seek help if they are experiencing any form of abuse or harassment.
The article also mentions the impact on BTS, a popular K-pop group that has faced criticism from some fans for not speaking out against the incident earlier. However, the group's management team has since released a statement condemning the behavior and urging fans to support those who have come forward with allegations of abuse.
Overall, the article highlights the need for greater accountability within the K-pop industry and the importance of supporting victims of abuse and harassment.
. It's like a never-ending story in the K-pop industry - the prioritization of image over people. I mean, come on, installing CCTV cameras without consent? That's just crazy talk! And the fact that management knew about it and did nothing is mind-boggling.
. It's like they were trying to gaslight her into not reporting anything. I'm so glad she spoke out, even if it's just now.
. Language barriers and unfamiliar laws are tough enough, but add on top of that a toxic work environment? No thanks! The industry needs to do better, especially when it comes to supporting its own.
. At least they're speaking out now. But we need more than just lip service from the companies involved here. We need real change, not just PR stunts 
this is so disturbing... i mean, how can someone just do that to these two girls? they were already in a vulnerable position being trainees, and then they're made to feel even more uncomfortable and scared by the company's actions 
. it's not like they did anything wrong, but they were too afraid to speak up because they wanted to get into K-pop so badly 
. it's not just about the girls who went through this, but also all the other foreign trainees who might be going through similar things without anyone to turn to 
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. it's not fair that these girls had to suffer in silence and now their voices are finally being heard 
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. The thought of these trainees being treated like that is just heartbreaking 
. I mean, who installs CCTV cameras in someone's dorm room without consent? That's just messed up 
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. Like, can't they see how wrong it is? The group's statement was a good start, but we need to do more to create change 
. We need more support for victims of abuse and harassment, too. This incident has made me realize how fragile the dreams of many young people are 
. We need more support systems in place for these girls, especially foreign trainees who are already navigating a whole new culture 
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. We gotta be a community that supports each other, especially when it comes to things like abuse and harassment 
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. and honestly, how many of us would've spoken up too if we were in those shoes? the fact that they had to be afraid to speak up because of the "program" is just wild 
. i'm so glad Elin & Miyu are speaking out now tho 
, it's time for those K-pop companies to get their act together 
. It's like, I get it, the industry is competitive but that doesn't mean we have to turn a blind eye to people getting hurt or harassed.
like can't we all just support each other here? i'm still waiting on the bbc to release those footage of the cctv cameras in the dorms btw 
i want to see what else was going on behind closed doors.
i feel like these 2 girls Elin & Miyu are total heroes for speaking out about what happened to them, even if it was super hard for them to do so... 
it's crazy that the management knew about this stuff but didn't do anything about it... like, who does that?!? 
and can we pls talk about how unfair it is that foreign trainees have to deal with all this stuff on top of learning a new language & culture? 
Can we please get real for a second? These trainees were literally too scared to speak up because they thought they'd be dropped from the program... meanwhile, some fans are upset that BTS didn't jump into defense mode faster? 
We need to be supporting these women and holding the industry accountable for its actions, not playing defense for the sake of popularity. 
the company's excuse about safety reasons for the cctv cameras doesnt add up either it sounds like they were just trying to cover their tracks 
, this is just another example of how messed up the K-pop industry can be... I mean, who installs CCTV cameras in a dorm room without even telling you what they're doing? It's like, basic human rights, right? 
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