Idol group Monsta X in crisis with scandal on drug, adultery

MonstaX, now a six-member idol group, poses on the red carpet event for Korean Popular Culture And Arts Awards, Wednesday./ Yonhap

By Jung Hae-myoung

Monsta X, the seven-member K-pop boyband, has been reduced to six after Wonho (Lee Ho-seok) left the group following rumors began circulating that he owed large amounts of money to various people, and had also smoked marijuana, which was disclosed Friday.

The group released a new album “FOLLOW: FIND YOU,” Oct. 28, returning from an eight-month hiatus. This period should have been a busy time for the group to promote the album. Instead they are facing scandals that do not bode well for any idol group here.

Wonho leaving the band came after Jung Da-eun, known as an “ulzzang” in Korea, which refers to someone who becomes “famous” because of their looks, posted on social media: “Wonho, when are you going to pay me back my money,” with a photo of Wonho from Monsta X

Although his agency, Starship Entertainment, strongly denied it at first, Jung disclosed even more details about Wonho, alleging he had been incarcerated in a youth detention center in the past for theft.

“My Balmain silver jeans, Bang and Olufsen earphones, and Canon 420D camera were all gone. Later I found out Wonho sold them online,” Jung wrote. She found out only after an acquaintance recognized the items as Jung's, and the phone number in the online secondhand marketplace as Wonho's.

On Thursday, Wonho made an official statement through the agency with a handwritten letter of apology saying, “Although I have some immature moments and faults, I tried hard not to become ashamed of myself after I debuted as an idol trainee.”

Jung said Friday that Wonho smoked marijuana with her in 2013. An executive of Burning Sun surnamed Cho, who is currently being detained in connection to the Burning Sun drugs, rape and prostitution scandal, backed up her story, saying he was at the apartment where it happened.

Jung said they were at a cafe first when Wonho suggested smoking marijuana together. Then they went to the house where they lived together. While they were smoking, they did not realize Cho was there as he had entered quietly to borrow a belt from Jung.

Narcotics police officers questioned Wonho last September after Monsta X came back from a concert in Germany, but did not make anything public.

Meanwhile, Han Seo-hee, a friend of Jung's who was also an idol trainee, also disclosed that Shownu, another member of Monsta X had an affair with a married woman. The husband allegedly informed Han.

Shownu clarified through his agency that he believed their relationship took place before she was married, and if she was in fact married, he had not known.