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How Irene of Red Velvet’s bullying scandal gives insight into abuse of power in Korean society, not just K-pop
- Irene’s actions may reflect the phenomenon of ‘gapjil’ in South Korea, which refers to people in positions of authority abusing or bullying those who aren’t
- But the public backlash to the K-pop star may also be a reaction to the lack of dominant women in the South Korean workplace today
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K-pop girl group Red Velvet are facing an uncertain future with member Irene under pressure to leave the group due to a bullying scandal involving a stylist.
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Debuting in 2014 and known for their stand-out musicality, the quintet have been inactive for most of 2020 since member Wendy was injured during a live performance last December. With Wendy recently returning to the industry following her recovery, Red Velvet were expected to release new music before the end of the year.
But earlier this month, member Irene was called out for verbally abusing a stylist during a photo shoot, resulting in other industry insiders taking to social media to share their experiences with the allegedly volatile singer.
Irene, who most recently released the mini-album Monster in June as a duo with fellow Red Velvet member Seulgi, apologised on social media after the incident and to the individual in person, but her reputation has been damaged and there are calls for her to leave the act.
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“I sincerely apologise for hurting the stylist with my foolish attitude and indiscreet words and acts,” she posted on Instagram. “As I looked back, I was ashamed of myself and once again felt how precious our staff members are. From now on, I will be more cautious to prevent another incident like this.” She also reportedly met the stylist to apologise in person.
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