Pre-debut scandals have led to the termination of many up-and-coming idols, sometimes ending their career before they truly started. However, in other cases, these stars can recover their careers and find success, like ex-JYP trainee Yoon Seobin.
Yoon Seobin was a contestant on Produce X 101 as a trainee from JYP Entertainment in 2019. He was a popular fan favorite, impressing many with his visuals and talent in the show’s early episodes.
This continued until an anonymous poster accused him of being a school bully who claimed to have known Seobin since his elementary and middle school days. They shared photos of a “Yoon Byung Hwi,” which they claimed was Seobin’s name until he changed it.
Yoon Byung Hwi was infamous in the City of Gwangju. Everyone who is my age probably knows about him. He was a known bully since his middle school days. It was a part of his daily life to pick on other students… If this isn’t true, I’m ready to be sued.
— Anonymous
Other photos were also shared showing him smoking and drinking in a post accusing him of being an 일진 (delinquent/bully).
I feel like you will only believe me with pictures, so here are his elementary and middle school yearbook photos. He changed his name to Yoon Seobin, but his name used to be Yoon Byung Hwi. I’m sharing this because Yoon Byung Hwi was an infamous ‘iljin’ in the City of Gwangju. Everyone who is my age probably knows about him. He was a known bully since his middle school days. It was a part of his daily life to pick on other students. A lot of students I know were bullied by him. I’ve seen it happen all the time. He deleted his Facebook account and ghosted everyone for years… before showing up on TV like this. I wouldn’t want someone like him to succeed, become self-absorbed, then turn into someone like Seungri. So that’s why I’m writing this. If this isn’t true, I’m ready to be sued. Sorry if I make no sense.
— Post
After investigating the claims, JYP Entertainment announced that he would drop out of the program, and his contract with the label was terminated. Mnet also stated they would work to edit him out of the episodes that had not aired.
Hello
This is JYP Entertainment.
We would like to relay our position about trainee Yoon Seobin.
JYP Entertainment has decided to terminate our trainee contract with Yoon Seobin, who was appearing on Mnet’s Produce X 101 as we believe he did not behave in line with company policy. As a result, we are also announcing he will leave the program.
— JYP Entertainment
After his contract termination, Seobin apologized for his controversy while denying the bullying accusations.
I am sorry for causing a big controversy when I am only a trainee. I am back in my hometown but I can’t go online and I can’t meet anyone. I can’t do anything because I feel like the public will not see me in a good light no matter what I do. I’m simply sorry towards everyone.
— Yoon Seobin
Seobin would go on to be signed by Sublime later that year and hold his first fan meeting in December 2019.
The star then made his acting debut in 2020 in the web drama Touch Me If You Can and also played a supporting role in the drama The Mermaid Prince: The Beginning. His most popular role to date is in the vampire BL drama Kissable Lips alongside ZEROBASEONE‘s Kim Ji Woong.
In 2022, he departed from Sublime and released multiple digital singles in 2022 and 2023.
The star is also active on social media platforms YouTube and TikTok, and it seems his earlier controversies have been left in the past.
You can read about other controversial trainees below.
6 Of K-Pop’s Most Controversial Trainees — Where Are They Now?
