Music group

A member of the boy group leaves the group and the fans are in disbelief

By Ike M. Rogers

Fans of K-pop boy group TO1 were saddened to learn of a permanent lineup change today. On April 30, TO1’s agency WAKEONE Entertainment announced that member Chi Hoon had left the group and his agency on the official fan cafe. Below is the agency’s full statement in English on his departure via Soompi:

“Hello, this is WAKEONE. Due to the cancellation of the exclusive contract, TO1 member Chi Hoon quit the team at the same time he terminated the exclusive contract with us,” the post read. “We apologize for causing TOgether concern with this sudden news. TO1 will continue to meet you with more mature music and performances. We ask for your warm support for TO1 members in the future. Thank you.”

TO1 followers on Twitter were collectively saddened, while some even speculated as to why Chi Hoon left the group. Collectively, the messages from fans were disappointed, grateful and concerned as they wondered what was next for the boyband.

Who is TO1 for you?

Despite the difficult future ahead, TO1 fans have looked to each other for companionship and support during uncertain times. Underneath a thread in which the original Twitter poster wrote, “I want to know ‘who is TO1 for you,’ the responses were more passionate and thoughtful than you might expect for fans of a boyband of two. years.

“TOO/TO1 became my reason to return to K-pop after a long hiatus. It sparked joy and motivation after feeling lost and confused for so long. It all started with a random video recommendation …and then I loved these people and their journey,” one user replied.

“These are my proud children…I think of them almost every second, wondering what they are doing and if they are taking good care of themselves,” another tweeted. “And I will become a proud mom when I mention them to other people or when they receive achievements. It’s TO1 for me.”

For one fan, “TO1 is my safe place, my home, I’ve seen them, all the effort, the tears, and just as they debuted, I got into college, and I’d almost say I achieved it with them, so… I’m proud to see them fight for what they dream of day after day.”

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#WakeOneAnswersGethers

In light of the group’s recent turmoil, fans of TO1 (or as they call themselves, TOGETHER) took to Twitter on April 27 to trend #WakeOneAnswerGethers, demanding updates from the agency. on TO1 and their situation. Fans noted that the group was eerily quiet and had very little social activity for over a month. Also, despite being one of the headliners for KCON 2022 in the United States, their group photo did not appear on KCON merchandise.

April 1st is WAKEONE’s second anniversary, but they didn’t do anything special to celebrate it. Instead of hosting a live stream, they only shared photos via Twitter. Many fans found this alarming, as first birthdays in K-pop are often big occasions. TO1’s last musical release was their second mini-album, Realizeand its title track “No More X”, on November 4, 2021.

Fans are demanding better treatment for TO1 and information on TO1’s schedule and plans. They claim TO1 shouldn’t be hidden as they are WAKEONE’s first and only boy group.

As one ENSEMBLE reviewer said, “I support Chi hoon terminating his contract with WAKEONE but you should also bring your 9 brothers and [leave] whole.”

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TOO TOO TO1

In 2020, TO1 was launched as TOO, an acronym for “Ten Oriented Orchestra”. Their label n.CH Entertainment and label company CJ ENM were involved in a management dispute in January 2021, where CJ ENM allegedly terminated their management contract with n.CH Entertainment. A day later, n.CH Entertainment responded to the dispute, stating that their contract had not been signed for months and no expenses had been paid. CJ ENM announced on January 19 that they had terminated their contract with n.CH Entertainment due to an inability to reach an agreement and would be taking full leadership of the group. It was announced the following March that the group had changed their name from TOO to TO1.

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Woonggi’s break

Prior to Chi Hoon’s departure, TO1 had already lost a limb after the youngest, Woonggi, went on hiatus to receive treatment for anxiety. Wake One released the following statement to their fan cafe in December 2021 in both Korean and English: “Hello, this is WAKEONE.” We would like to update you on the health condition and activities of TO1 member WOONG GI. “Recently, WOONG GI underwent a thorough examination due to sudden anxiety and received a prescription from a specialist to refrain from excessive activities and rest.

“As a result, after lengthy discussion with WOONG GI and other TO1 members, we have decided to temporarily suspend WOONG GI’s activities and focus on his treatment and recovery,” the note continued. “At the moment, TO1 will be promoting as a 9-member group. We will let you know when member WOONG GI returns at a later date depending on his recovery status.”

In addition to Chi Hoon, Woongi celebrated his birthday in April, and fans were worried when WAKEONE only posted a poster on Twitter. The agency did not share the photo on Instagram. Many others also pointed out that the members did not post on his birthday.

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Chi Hoon focuses on the present

The oldest member of the group, Chi Hoon, 23, was listed as a “rapper, singer and producer” in TO1. According to a fan translation of his profile, he can also play the piano and “is the self-proclaimed ‘Sexy Guy’ of TO1”. A chick is his representative animal in the Fan Cafe. Chi Hoon’s personal motto is, “Focusing on the past will disrupt the future, but focusing on the present will complete the future.”

Fans were concerned about Chi Hoon’s status in the group after WAKEONE didn’t release anything for his birthday on April 27. No celebratory messages were posted on social media and the members did not post anything on his birthday. Additionally, Chihoon has remained silent on all social media since March 2022. Many were asking about his whereabouts and his future activities.

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TO1 has a troubled history

TO1 debuted as TOO in 2020 after being formed on the Mnet survival show “World Klass,” and they were renamed TO1 in March last year. A Twitter fan lamented the group’s luck. “Since they debuted, they’ve only known hardship and something worse. TO1 deserves none of this,” the post said.

Another user got more specific, saying, “TO1 has been through survival shows, company changes, name change, long hiatus, so much uncertainty, and is now parting ways with a family member. . The strongest people on this planet.”

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Ike M. Rogers
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