Kim Gun-woo and Kang Woo-jin, who appeared as individual trainees on Mnet's survival audition program ‘Boys 2 Planet’ (hereinafter ‘Boys 2 Planet 2’), have been confirmed to have been under Wake One, and in light of the controversy, Wake One has belatedly responded by stating, “The trainee contracts have been terminated.”
On the 21st, Wake One released an official statement saying, “Recently, there have been posts regarding our company and affiliated trainees circulating in online communities, and we would like to share our position,” adding, “Kim Gun-woo and Kang Woo-jin, who are participating in ‘Boys 2 Planet’ in an individual capacity, are currently trainees under Wake One.”
Regarding Kim Gun-woo, Wake One explained, “Before the trainee contract, the program application and evaluation were already in progress. Since he was already preparing to participate in the program individually, it was difficult for him to join as a team with existing Wake One trainees due to scheduling conflicts,” and added, “After discussions with Kim Gun-woo, it was decided that he would participate individually.”
As for Kang Woo-jin, they stated, “He was a trainee aiming to become a singer-songwriter at Wake One,” and noted, “His musical concept differed from that of the existing trainees who were preparing for the program, and he did not have experience in professional idol training. We judged that it would be more appropriate for him to participate individually rather than as part of the Wake One team.”
Wake One expressed, “This decision was made considering the individuality and musical concepts of each trainee, but we sincerely apologize for causing confusion and concern to the program's production team, viewers, and fans.”
They continued, “This matter is entirely Wake One's responsibility, and we believe that the challenges of the two trainees should be respected. After a long and in-depth discussion for a responsible choice, Wake One decided to terminate the trainee contracts with Kim Gun-woo and Kang Woo-jin through mutual agreement.”
Additionally, regarding the recent controversy surrounding Kim Gun-woo's character, they stated that they would actively clarify any false claims. On the 17th, a post was published on social media (SNS) alleging that Kim Gun-woo had verbally abused and attacked other trainees, and he attached a medical record indicating that he had received psychiatric treatment, claiming to be a victim himself.
In relation to this, Wake One added, “As he participated in the program in an individual capacity, we deeply reflect on our failure to fulfill the protective duties we should have performed as his agency. Although the trainee contract has ended, we plan to take active measures regarding any false claims related to Kim Gun-woo.”
‘Boys 2 Planet,’ which premiered on the 17th, is a sequel to ‘Boys Planet’ aired in 2023. A total of 160 participants aspiring to form a boy group are taking part, and it is divided into the Korean version ‘Boys 2 Planet K’ and the Chinese version ‘Boys 2 Planet C.’
