Chapter 176. Penalty (7)
**[Because of Kang Hajin, my dreams and life were completely crushed. Exposing the true nature of Kairos’s Kang Hajin. MiroMaze.]**
Hello.
I am someone who practiced with trainee Kang Hajin at KD Entertainment in 20XX.
(Photo of the KD Entertainment company sign)
(Capture of a comment left by Hajin on a private SNS several years ago)
(Photo of Hajin with trainees, faces blurred)
I honestly hesitated a lot before writing this, but I couldn’t stand by and watch as Kang Hajin, who was notorious among us trainees as a tyrant, debuts as an idol and stands on stage, becoming a hero for teenagers. This is why I decided to write this.
Below is a list of things I had to endure from Kang Hajin hyung over the two years, just because I was his junior. Please understand that, since these events happened a few years ago, the order or timing might not be accurate.
1. Verbal abuse
…
The post, uploaded to an anonymous community, included a long, detailed account along with substantial evidence.
With clear certification photos, detailed descriptions of situations, and even a capture of a messenger conversation with Hajin using his usual phrases, people quickly started to believe it. All of Hajin’s previous big and small actions were brought up and scrutinized.
**[But honestly, didn’t he always seem like he had a temper?]**
Everyone knew about his fiery temper, right…? That was one of the reasons people liked him, wasn’t it?
* * *
– They’re just blindly shielding him. What else would a fan do?
– Just look at what he said at the guerrilla concert, LOL
└ Seriously, weren’t they praising him for being straightforward back then? Now look at them…
└ They were calling him a bold, no-nonsense idol. This is just his fans being delusional.
**[What do you guys think about this?]**
(A video of Hajin mistakenly calling Jungho by the wrong name during MiroMaze’s first-round practice)
Did he really not know his name, or was it intentional? 😭
But how can you not know someone’s name after practicing together for months? 😭
I used to like Myung-ho, but this makes me feel a bit uneasy…
* * *
– Hey, you got the name wrong too; just go to bed.
– This bait is so obvious it’s making me angry.
– You’re itching to start a fire, aren’t you?
– Is it just me, or does he sound like a total bully? I’m getting major PTSD from this.
└ Kang Hajin had only been with Miro for two or three months at that point, and after the initial period, he called everyone by their correct names. Of course, when you first join, you might not know everyone’s name. Who comes up with these wild theories?
**[[Maple] I get why opinions are divided on this one.]**
With Kang Hajin’s personality, I can see him being annoyed by trainees who slacked off.
MiroMaze trainees did say Hajin was strict during practice.
Even though he’s outgoing and popular, you can tell from behind-the-scenes footage that he’s got a strict, by-the-book side.
If it was 20XX, the original poster and Hajin would’ve been in middle school, right?
Hajin was young too, probably couldn’t control his emotions well, and said things that hurt the other trainees.
I do think Hajin hurt the original poster enough to be called a bully, but
I don’t think it’s our place as third parties to judge this.
* * *
– Next, Death-T.
– “Not our place to judge,” LOL. There’s a victim here, and this is exactly what secondary harm looks like.
– That’s a lot of nonsense for one comment.
– The comments are all so angry… I actually agree with some of it. I could tell Hajin had that typical stubbornness and pride you see in young boys, and it probably led to conflicts with the other trainees. Hajin was wrong here…
└ “I agree with some of it,” LOL. Real Death-T fans don’t say stuff like this. Acting like you know everything about him from a 10-episode survival show, LOL.
Although there were various opinions on Hajin’s actions mentioned in the post, most people didn’t consider the possibility that the post was fabricated. The evidence was too solid, and the victim was clear.
…
Among the hyungs who practiced with us, there was one who actually quit trainee life and gave up on his dream of becoming an idol because of conflicts with Kang Hajin hyung.
…
When personal conflicts between peers turn into a moral issue of right and wrong, people tend to take a very clear stance. They want to support the good and punish the bad.
We sometimes forget that the earth is round,
that the world cannot be divided into just black and white,
and that there are deep shadows behind the words we see on the screen.
But no one could blame them.
None of them knew the other truth—that Hajin had actually been the victim of bullying.
So, they simply chose based on the clues they were given.
**Kang Daejang @strongjin**
Who does he think he is, some kind of sleazy reporter?
Now he’s doing interviews with anonymous accounts, SMH.
I trust the Kang Hajin I know.
I ran this account through a tracker, so yeah, good luck.
Blocking you and tracking your IP, just wait.
After all that talk about integrity,
how does it feel to find out your fave is a school bully?
Either believe it,
**[Just quit, Kang Hajin]**
Good thing this came out before debut, LOL.
I feel sorry for the kids who got eliminated because people voted for you.
or feel betrayed and criticize him.
People now began to see Kang Hajin as a “perpetrator.”
Whether he debuted or not, if he didn’t clarify this matter, the situation was expected to cause significant damage. Everyone was waiting for Hajin and Miro’s official statement.
And at that moment.
Hajin, who was called to the office instead of heading back to the dorm, answered Ji Suho’s question about the truth with a calm voice.
“I don’t know.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I don’t really remember.”
And that answer was far from what Ji Suho had hoped for.
* * *
Human memory distorts and embellishes with time.
Certain events become clearer and more vivid, while
some days fade away completely, as if they never existed.
That was my case now.
“…For you, this was 2 or 3 years ago, but for me, it’s been over 15 years.”
The incidents that happened at KD Entertainment years ago indeed haunted me like a specter throughout my life. But that didn’t mean I remembered every second of those moments.
I had grown up, and fallen down, through countless events and with many people over a long period.
“All I remember now is that I fought with some kids, and eventually, they ostracized me.”
I couldn’t even recall the context of the group chat screenshot in the original post, nor did I have any idea who the person posting it was. Of course, it wouldn’t be hard to find out if I decided to look into the trainees I practiced with back then, but…
Seeing my response, Ji Suho sighed, his expression turning serious.
“To be honest, that’s probably the most disappointing thing you’ve ever said to me. From the company’s perspective, ‘I don’t remember’ is the worst possible defense.”
I understood. How could I not?
So, before coming to the company, I tried to recall everything, but it was impossible to remember the details of events that happened over 15 years ago. Besides, even the hazy memories that surfaced wouldn’t have helped the company’s statement.
When I stayed silent, Ji Suho pointed to a specific section of the printed post on the desk and began speaking calmly.
“Then, let’s start with what we can confirm. Earlier, you said this part is a lie.”
Ji Suho highlighted a passage with a highlighter. It was the part where the original post claimed that the debut group had been canceled several times because of me, saying that I had caused problems when I didn’t get the debut group I wanted, or when I wasn’t selected for the debut group.
“Yes. For one thing, I was dropped from the debut group twice, and the only reason the debut group was canceled was because the president couldn’t secure funding. He was even scammed at one point.”
“Then, do you have any idea why this person wrote that?”
“…I know you’re hoping this post is a lie. But the president getting scammed and the debut group being canceled are things only a few people, including myself, knew about. So, if the person who wrote this joined the company after me, they might not have known and could have misunderstood. I was close to the company staff.”
When I shrugged and spoke, Ji Suho jotted down notes summarizing my points beside the highlighted passage.
Next, he moved on to the section where it said, **“Kang Hajin discriminated against and exploited certain trainees.”**
“What about this?”
“This one… I’m not sure what they mean by discrimination, but I can guess what they meant by ‘exploited.’”
“Are you saying you actually made the others do work?”
I sighed deeply, a habit of mine, and shook my head.
“Things like cleaning the practice room, honestly, at that age, if you don’t tell them, they won’t do it. The same kids always did it, and those who didn’t do it just wouldn’t. So, I made them do it. …I
’d yell at them if they didn’t listen and got angry too. So, some of them might have felt wronged or scared.”
Now, I understood the importance of dividing responsibilities and the authority of a leader who could assign them.
But I wasn’t like that back then.
Back then, I was just a naïve fool who thought it was natural for someone as superior as me to give orders and lead, with my conviction that I was right and my commanding tone.
I was foolish, knowing only in theory that the earth was round, that every object had a back side, and that not everything was black and white.
“One time, we all practiced together and then had a day for a big clean-up. Two younger trainees showed up late. The others had arrived early, practiced, and were busy cleaning, but those two came late and even brought drinks. It made me see red, so I got angry. I yelled at them right in front of the others. But it turned out, they had actually arrived first, and the staff had asked them for help with something urgent, so they hadn’t even had time to eat. The drinks were bought by the staff.”
Remembering that incident made me feel embarrassed and ashamed, so I rubbed my face with my hands and continued.
“So, it’s all like that. It’s true that I was eventually ostracized by the others. Honestly, I could probably refute a lot of what’s written in the post, but… I can’t exactly say I was in the right. So, it’s embarrassing.”
Ji Suho stayed silent as he listened to me.
He seemed to be thinking about something, rereading the post, and making notes with his pen. Then, he showed me a sentence he had underlined and asked,
“What about this? Is this true?”
Ji Suho pointed to the sentence that had played the most significant role in shaping the current narrative of “perpetrator Kang Hajin” online.
“The part where it says a trainee quit because of you. Is that true?”
The company was so small and run-down that there were plenty of trainees who quit.
But the moment I saw that sentence, only one person came to mind.
-Hey, Kang Hajin! Let’s go practice together.
Even though it had been more than ten years, the face that came to mind was as clear as ever, without a single feature blurred. Smiling bitterly, I said,
“Right… I’d like to know that too.”
Along with the bright greeting directed at me, there was always a memory that followed.
-From now on, we’ve decided not to practice with you.
“Just how much did he hate me that he would ostracize me and then quit the company?”
It felt like the moment was approaching when I’d have to face a long-standing nightmare.