Kim Gyeo-un (김견우), a member of the South Korean rookie boy group ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), has been embroiled in controversy since his debut, with multiple incidents concerning his words and actions drawing criticism and fueling negative sentiment. In April this year, his agency WAKEONE (웨이크원) issued an urgent statement, announcing his temporary suspension from activities, with the group continuing as a seven-member unit in an attempt to quell public concerns.
Unexpectedly, approximately six months later, Kim Gyeo-un is reported to have filed a lawsuit against his agency, WAKEONE, seeking legal clarification of his status. Sources indicate that he still hopes to rejoin the group and had repeatedly expressed his desire to return to the company, but had not received the expected response. He ultimately decided to take legal action. The news quickly sparked heated discussion online in Korea.
According to a report by Korean media outlet MyDaily on October 25, Kim Gyeo-un recently formally filed a lawsuit against WAKEONE, seeking to confirm his legal status. Related sources revealed that Kim Gyeo-un, currently on hiatus, still wishes to return to the group and had repeatedly conveyed his request to the company. However, failing to receive a satisfactory resolution, he decided to pursue legal recourse. In response, WAKEONE told MyDaily, "Relevant legal procedures are currently underway. We ask for your understanding that it is difficult to disclose specific details at this time," without providing further information.
Kim Gyeo-un debuted as a member of ALPHA DRIVE ONE through Mnet's audition program BOYS II PLANET. The group's activities were gradually gaining momentum until the controversy erupted in April this year. At that time, Kim Gyeo-un allegedly failed to realize his microphone was still on and expressed dissatisfaction to staff with inappropriate language on set. The content quickly drew public criticism upon its release.
Following the incident, WAKEONE clarified that Kim Gyeo-un's remarks were not intentional abuse or personal attacks, but later confirmed that he had indeed used profanity, leading to continued controversy. Kim Gyeo-un subsequently announced a hiatus to reflect on his actions, and ALPHA DRIVE ONE continued its schedule as a seven-member unit without him.
In fact, during his participation in BOYS II PLANET, Kim Gyeo-un was accused of bullying other trainees. These controversies persisted from the competition period through his debut and never fully subsided. Now, news of him suing his agency has heightened public interest in whether this legal battle will affect his potential return and ALPHA DRIVE ONE's future activities.
After the news of Kim Gyeo-un suing his agency broke, heated discussions erupted on Korean online forums, with many netizens expressing dissatisfaction with his decision. Comments included: "If he returns, fans will surely riot," "He's making me want to un-fan again, it's so hard to like your bias," and "I thought he would reflect on the trouble he caused the group, members, and company due to his mistakes, and properly self-reflect. But he's truly different."
Others harshly criticized him, saying: "He's completely destroyed the last bit of his potential as an artist," "His mental fortitude is truly strong," "Instead of this, he should just ask for contract termination, but he's suing to return to the group?" "Wow, this is really scary," and "The biggest reason he can't promote is himself. Has he not reflected at all?"
Furthermore, some netizens worried that this controversy would further impact the group's popularity, stating: "Fans of other members and group fans will probably leave in droves," "The company initially tried to defend him, but after controversies kept breaking out, they temporarily removed him from the group. How could he possibly return?" "Whether he returns or leaves, the group's fandom will likely be severely damaged," "This is just dragging the entire group down with him," and "He paused activities due to his own controversies, but now he's suing, asking why the company isn't letting him return?"
Even more netizens questioned whether Kim Gyeo-un's situation would improve even if he won the lawsuit, commenting: "If he loses, it will be difficult to work in the entertainment industry afterward; if he wins, he might not get along smoothly returning to the original group. Is he trying to take everyone down with him?" and "After all this, can he still return? Won't it be awkward for everyone to meet?" Some also speculated that his true purpose in suing might not be to rejoin the group, but to pursue other plans.
On the other hand, some netizens speculated on Kim Gyeo-un's considerations from a contractual and legal perspective, suggesting that there might be another agenda behind the lawsuit. One netizen commented: "He might be trying to leave the company through the lawsuit without having to pay a penalty for breach of contract. After all, he wasn't convicted of a crime, so if he can show an attitude of reflection and self-restraint, he might still have opportunities to continue activities even after leaving the company."
Others speculated: "Is it because suing directly to leave the group might lead to a loss, so he changed it to demanding to return, hoping to force the company to let him leave?" "Perhaps he had no activities until his contract expired, and termination was nowhere in sight, so he's using this method to push for termination," "A termination lawsuit might involve penalty fees, so he's framing his demand as wanting to return, but actually hoping the company will let him go if they don't arrange activities," and "If the company doesn't let him return, he might want the company to agree to his departure and terminate the contract."
However, all the above remain mere speculations by netizens. The actual purpose of Kim Gyeo-un's lawsuit and its subsequent developments await further clarification through legal proceedings. As the incident continues to unfold, whether Kim Gyeo-un can rejoin ALPHA DRIVE ONE and whether the group's future activities will be adjusted remain key points of concern for fans and the public.
