'I'm SOLO' 31st season members revealed a gathering scene without Kyungsoo and Sunja, fueling the embers of bullying controversy.
On the 28th ENA, SBS Plus I'm SOLO 31st season Sangcheol uploaded a photo to his social account without any comment.
The released photo captured the gathering scene of I'm SOLO 31st season members. Except for some female participants, judging by the outfits being the same as during the live broadcast, it appears the photo was taken at an after-party held after all the live broadcasts ended.
However, the photo drew attention because Kyungsoo and Sunja were notably absent. Earlier that day on the Chonjang Entertainment YouTube channel's I'm SOLO 31st season live broadcast, attendees for the talk after the show included Jeongsook, Youngsook, Sunja, Junghui, Oksun, Youngja, Youngcheol, Kyungsoo, Youngsik, Sangcheol, Youngsu, and Gwangsu, excluding Youngho and Hyunsuk, who had participated in the live broadcast. Hyunsuk could not attend due to a business trip, and Youngho's reason for absence was not reported.
During the live broadcast that day, Oksun and Youngsook and Junghui, known as the 'three of the glory' who drew viewers' criticism throughout the broadcast, took time to apologize and explain. Previously, Oksun, Youngsook, and Junghui were criticized by viewers for forming a group during the I'm SOLO 31st season filming period and treating Sunja like an invisible person and speaking about her behind her back, acts seen as ostracism.
The three apologized toward Sunja on the live broadcast, but Sunja revealed she still harbored lingering resentment. She said, "I tried to get along as if nothing happened with others. I also attended reunions after filming," but added, "A women's participant group chat was created and it was 'girl talk.' I was not pleased when they asked me light and rude questions about my relationship with Kyungsoo."
She also said, "On the first broadcast day some people gathered at Sangcheol's house to watch episode 1. After it ended some stayed and drank, and because Jeonghui, who was directly involved, was there, I was able to speak for the first time about the hurt I experienced on Solo Nation. But even unrelated participants criticized me, saying things like 'you're being sensitive' and 'why bring this up here and spoil the mood.' I felt I became an uncomfortable presence within that group, so I decided not to attend gatherings where female participants would be, and I left the girl talk group chat," recounting the pain caused by secondary harm.
She also said she had received apologies from Oksun, Youngsook, and Jeonghui. Jeonghui once left an apology comment during the broadcast and then deleted it, which caused a stir. Sunja said, "After that day I received a sincere apology from Jeonghui. It felt not like talk about me but like simple agreement, and I felt there was no malice, so I resolved the relationship."
However, she said she was contacted by Youngsook and Oksun only after episode 5 aired, saying, "Youngsook's message was 'Sunja, are you mentally okay?' in one line, and Oksun said, 'What is this about? I think I might have been misunderstood. If I heard only one person's story and that hurt you, I'm sorry.' But I believe there was plenty of time to apologize after appearing on Solo Nation until episode 6, and I felt they had not reflected on themselves by then. I only saw their notifications and did not read the messages," and she rejected the apology as insincere.
Meanwhile, after the 31st season live broadcast ended, Sangcheol revealed the gathering scene, and coincidentally only Sunja and her partner Kyungsoo were missing from the after-party among the live broadcast members. Netizens criticized the cast for holding an after-party that deliberately excluded the bullying victims Sunja and Kyungsoo and also slammed Sangcheol for posting the scene on social media as if to immortalize it, saying "have some awareness."
Meanwhile, in I'm SOLO 31st season, Kyungsoo♥Sunja, Youngho♥Oksun, and Youngsik♥Jeonghui became the final couples, but only Kyungsoo and Sunja became a 'real couple.' In particular, Oksun, who had been the subject of marriage and pregnancy rumors with Youngho even before the broadcast, cried as she denied the allegations and said they were untrue and that she had never met Youngho's parents.
[Photo] SNS, Chonjang Entertainment
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