Gunil, the former leader and drummer of band Xdinary Heroes, has personally addressed the controversy surrounding leaked audio in which he made profane remarks about fans.
On August 13, Gunil posted a lengthy message on the fan communication platform, saying, “I truly wanted to remain Xdinary Heroes until the very end, and I wanted to protect the six-member Xdinary Heroes. But, as you know, I had no choice but to accept the company’s decision.”
Gunil opened the 3,383-character message by saying, “This will probably be my final farewell as a member of Xdinary Heroes.”
He first addressed the so-called “fan profanity controversy,” which erupted after an individual who claimed to have dated him made allegations against him before he departed from the group. Gunil explained that the person who initially posted about the controversy was someone he had met through an acquaintance and dated for approximately two weeks.
“I am the person who made the inappropriate remarks about fans in the phone recording that was made public to Villains,” Gunil admitted. “Regardless of the reason, the fact that I said those things does not change. I sincerely apologize to everyone who may have been disappointed or hurt.”
However, Gunil explained that he had been struggling emotionally after experiencing incidents earlier this year involving sasaeng fans allegedly breaking into the group’s accommodation and placing a tracking device on his personal vehicle. He also said he was deeply hurt by what he described as malicious reactions to a concert held in June.
“I didn’t want to worry the company staff or the members, so I couldn’t easily open up about my feelings,” Gunil said. “Eventually, I confided in someone I had only recently met about the emotions I had been holding in, and in the process, I used extremely harsh and inappropriate expressions without hesitation.”
He added, “I never thought that conversation would be recorded and made public. However, regardless of whether it was made public, I clearly understand that the fact that I said those things was wrong.”
Gunil emphasized that the people he was referring to at the time were certain malicious fans who hid behind anonymity to criticize the group or invade their privacy indiscriminately.
“It was absolutely not directed at all Villains (Xdinary Heroes' fandom) who trusted and supported us,” he stressed.
In the end, however, Gunil left the group. He asked fans to continue supporting the five remaining members.
“Although I am now leaving Xdinary Heroes, I will never forget the love and support you gave me as a person named Gunil Gu,” he said. “I poured everything I had into Xdinary Heroes and Villains. I truly loved and cherished it all. Thank you for sharing my youth with me.”
Earlier on August 13, JYP Entertainment announced that it had terminated its exclusive contract with Gunil by mutual agreement.
“Regarding the recent matter involving member Gunil, we are deeply aware of the seriousness of the situation and have held extensive discussions with the artist from various angles,” the agency said. “As a result, we determined that it would be difficult for him to continue participating in team activities, and we have decided to terminate his exclusive contract by mutual agreement.”
Xdinary Heroes will continue activities as a five-member group following Gunil’s departure.
