Photo = JYP ENTERTAINMENT

 

[Hanteo News = Reporter KANG SUYOUNG] GUNIL, the leader of Xdinary Heroes, has left the team.

 

The controversy began on the 12th when content related to GUNIL was posted online. The released phone call recording and message screenshots contained inappropriate remarks about fans, and the fallout spread quickly.

 

JYP ENTERTAINMENT, hereafter JYP, issued a statement the following afternoon on the 13th. JYP stated, “Regarding the recent matter involving member GUNIL, we have deeply recognized the seriousness of the situation and held sufficient discussions with the artist from multiple angles,” adding, “We determined that it would be difficult for him to continue team activities, and have decided to terminate his exclusive contract by mutual agreement.” GUNIL left the team as of that day. It was a decision made just one day after the controversy emerged.

 

The weight of this decision is not light. GUNIL was the team’s eldest member and leader, who majored in drums at Berklee College of Music, and he had consistently participated in producing from the debut album 'Hello, world!' to 'DEAD AND,' released in April this year, taking up a large share of the team’s music. In particular, given the nature of a band, where the departure of a member directly leads to a gap in the sound, this is even more critical. Nevertheless, JYP announced his departure the very next day after the controversy arose.

 

Behind this swift decision lies the principle JYP has long upheld. JYP’s company motto is “Truth, Sincerity, and Humility,” and representative producer J. Y. Park has often emphasized these values. Coincidentally, GUNIL himself was not unrelated to this slogan. At the group’s debut showcase, when asked why he chose JYP among several companies, he said, “JYP’s slogan is truth, sincerity, and humility,” adding, “It is something producer J. Y. Park always emphasizes, and it fit well with my values.” The values he cited as the reason for joining the company ultimately became the standard for the decision made about him.

 

On the afternoon of the 13th, GUNIL posted an apology message on a fan communication platform. Acknowledging that the remarks in the phone call recording were indeed made by him, he wrote, “Whatever the reason, the fact that I said those words does not change. I sincerely apologize to everyone who must have felt disappointed and hurt.” The team’s schedule was also adjusted. Xdinary Heroes did not appear at Japan’s 'Summer Sonic 2026,' which had been scheduled for the weekend, and the 3rd fan meeting 'THE X-TOWN,' which had been set to take place next month, was also canceled.

 

Xdinary Heroes will continue activities as a five-member group going forward. JYP stated, “We will provide support in many ways so that the members can focus on their musical activities in a stable manner.” Attention is now focused on how the team and fans, faced with this sudden farewell, will pass through this time, and on the music of the five members left behind.

 

grace@hanteo.com

 

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