Former PRISTIN member Jung Eun-woo (정은우) recently exposed the difficult truth behind her second debut, claiming that during the formation of her new group, investors had promised substantial funding and full support for everything from album production to advertising. However, after signing the contract, numerous issues arose, and the actual treatment differed significantly from what was initially agreed upon. She further alleged that the team arranged for members to travel to Jirisan (지리산) to seek "spiritual power," and even had them visit shamans one by one to receive so-called energy, bizarre experiences that she finds hard to forget.
PRISTIN, a girl group that debuted in 2017 and was once hailed as "monster rookies," disbanded abruptly after just two years of activity. This left many K-pop fans disappointed and is still considered one of the most regrettable girl group disbandments. After the group's dissolution, lead vocalist Jung Eun-woo reunited with like-minded members to form a new group, HINAPIA, hoping to reach new career heights. However, their progress fell short of expectations. Recently, Jung Eun-woo has been releasing videos detailing her debut experiences and previously untold stories, bringing HINAPIA's debut process back into the spotlight.
On the 13th, Jung Eun-woo, who was part of both PRISTIN and HINAPIA, released the second part of her exposé in a personal video titled "Shincheonji Girl Group Story Part 2." In her video description, she noted that after uploading the first video, she received many shocking private messages, but relevant individuals continued to spread lies, urging viewers to be cautious.
In her previously released first video, Jung Eun-woo revealed that after PRISTIN disbanded, she and other members were actively preparing for a new group when they met an investor. This individual promised full support, including costs for album production and advertising, giving them hope for a successful re-debut. However, after signing the contract, many inexplicable things began to happen. She also claimed that HINAPIA had a "very close" relationship with the Shincheonji Church, sparking public discussion.
In her latest video, Jung Eun-woo further described the bizarre experiences. She stated that one day, a relevant person suddenly informed the team that they needed to go to Jirisan to gain spiritual power, then claimed they would transmit some kind of "energy" to the members. She recalled that the members were arranged to visit shamans one by one to receive this supposed energy transfer, leaving her completely bewildered by the entire process.
Beyond this strange incident, Jung Eun-woo also questioned the decision-making process for the group's name. She revealed that after a private meeting, the other party suddenly announced that the group's name had to be HINAPIA, citing "the CEO told us to do it this way" as the reason, but the entire decision process left the members confused.
What she found even more unacceptable was that after the group officially debuted, the actual resources provided were completely different from what was initially promised. Jung Eun-woo stated that while there could have been seven music shows to attend in a week, they often only appeared on two, with exposure opportunities far below expectations.
Their wardrobe was also severely limited. She revealed that due to budget constraints, members had to choose the cheapest clothes from shopping malls, a stark contrast to the initial promise of "ample funding and everything being well-prepared." She directly stated that all initial claims about sufficient funds and resources ultimately proved to be empty words.
After repeated disappointments, Jung Eun-woo eventually decided to terminate her contract with the agency. She admitted that she had initially believed this would be her chance to rekindle her dream of being a singer, but it ended in failure once again, making her feel deceived and completely disheartened by the entire process. She believes she might have been the first member of the group to request contract termination.
Two consecutive unsuccessful group activities led Jung Eun-woo to gradually abandon her path as a singer. She revealed that people still ask her if she wants to return to being a singer, but she admitted that after the failure of her first group and the experiences during her second debut, she no longer has any intention of re-debuting.
"Although I still feel regret, at the time I really thought that perhaps this path was not meant for me," Jung Eun-woo's confession reveals the untold hardships idols face behind the stage. However, these claims are primarily based on her personal statements, and the accusations involving investors, agencies, and the Shincheonji Church still await further verification.
