TheEastLight.: A Light Dimmed Before Full Bloom By Nandini Iyengar

Physical abuse by seniors, bosses and those in power above someone is something that we hear of frequently when it comes to the entertainment industry. What makes the situation further sad is the victims who cannot get out of it sooner because of constant subjugation from all sides. OMEGA X is one of the groups who recently came out in the open about the abuse they faced at the hands of their company. There have been reports in the past about K-pop trainees and rookies being forced into living in subpar conditions, forced to overwork and exhaust themselves to the point of fainting even. One such group to come out about abuse against the members was TheEastLight..

TheEastLight. was an originally six-member group formed under Media Line Entertainment. The group made its debut in November 2016 with the song “Holla.” The members Seokcheol, Eunsung, Seunghyun, Junwook, Sagang, Woojin had their stint of fame prior to their debut. From being contestants on Voice Kids Korea to making K-drama appearances, these boys were just young teens looking forward to a bright future.

In 2018, two years after they debuted, a media outlet named XSportNews came forward with reports of abuse allegations against a producer Moon Jeong Il at Media Line Entertainment. CEO Kim Chang Hwan was also under fire for witnessing the incident but not raising their voice against the act. Members and real-life brothers Seokcheol and Seunghyun came forward with abuse claims at a press conference where Seokcheol narrated the incident on both their behalf. Shortly after, the company terminated contracts of the rest of the members. While the company did issue an apology, it denied most of the claims made by the members. It wasn’t until early 2019 that the CEO was indicted for child abuse.

During their two years with the entertainment company, TheEastLight. released two mini-albums, four digital singles and one special single for Valentines Day. While the group disbanded eventually after their contracts were terminated, the members found their purpose within the industry pursuing their passion in an environment much better suited for their needs, devoid of toxicity and mental harassment.