Kpop Idols are Humans
How NCT Lucas ties into Kpop's "end"
I’m ready to share the other half of my thoughts from this post about the End of Kpop. Took me several drafts but I’ll bold the entire section that ties in, in case you feel like this is too long.
-Ashley
I’ve loved many groups in Kpop. Some have been the catalyst for my life changing for the better.. for the survival of heartbreak… for the hope of being the underdog that eventually comes out on top… for being a symbol of luck…
And between 2016 to 2020, I was heavily in love with the world of NCT. There were 26 friggin’ members. That’s like two Gaelic football teams worth of entertainers. That is the equivalent of an average U.S. public school classroom. NCT Look at All Those Chickens is still over a dozen members strong today and genuinely the best selling boy group in South Korea of all time in 2024 because of that strength.
I did press, breakdowns of their history for the podcast, m/v reactions, rants, and supported “my bandmates” on two continents and multiple cities. SuperM, a somewhat-of-a-subunit-but-not-really of the NCT experience, was the first concert I experienced when I returned to America after living in Daegu. NCT 127 was the last concert I experienced just hours before Texas locked down for the pandemic. I was mesmerized by the size and capabilities of such a large group. They worked with producers I admired, created choreography I couldn’t get enough of, and have a vampire for a leader who can walk amongst humanity in the daylight. Just all out there, in public, existing. It was a lot to be excited about!
I’ve not listened to anything recent for many reasons. I think I stopped at “Hot Sauce,” and I’m eager to get back to the group. I know about the things that have happened with/to some members. I know what the news has said. That’s why I was late AF to learning about Wong Yukhei aka Lucas and the opportunity he had to tell his story from his perspective in 2024. Partially. I’ll get to why I’m saying “partially” shortly.
You can’t tell HR your frustration and expect the company to never know. The truth had to be favorable for the highest party involved and at what cost?
I had no idea that he was able to communicate anything beyond statements issued by the company. When people are sent to the SM Entertainment Dungeon, they don’t often have the opportunity to come back out, let alone speak their mind. That’s what made the two-part documentary styled video surprising. Lucas was able to convey his remorse, efforts, and emotional journey. For some, it was warranted while others may disagree. Accountability in Kpop (hell, entertainment entirely) isn’t always taken seriously, so I empathize with the doubt.
They weren’t prepared for the nourishment and cultivation of a young man, but for the potential of what he could be.
Yet, his documentary is the property of SM Entertainment. The narrative is his to share, yes, but from the curated gaze of his employer. I’m not doubting his desire to honestly share where he’s been and where he hopes to go, but this has to be an abridged version based on who’s responsible for sharing it. You can’t tell HR your frustration and expect the company to never know. The truth had to be favorable for the highest party involved and at what cost?
In part one, there’s a moment where he shares how he arrived to South Korea in 2015 with no knowledge of Hangul or Mandarin — because of this, he and his manager said nothing. Nothing? He was 15 or 16, depending upon the month he arrived, and you picked him up and said nothing beyond body language? Conversely, I arrived by airplane and a long bus ride when I met my manager for the first time and we had two languages to engage with. I had some level of preparation for the life I hoped to live in Korea. I cannot imagine arriving to a new place and being welcomed by someone who couldn’t connect with me immediately.
It’s that right there — them having him come here and not even having a person who could speak his language to welcome him — that fuels isolation and arrogance. He said that he was arrogant and unwilling to listen initially, but “the incident” changed that. (Sidenote: calling cheating on multiple women isn’t an incident but a host of other things. I am not here to debate the allegations nor to discuss what was debunked. That’s not my beat.)
Lucas Wong in his young 20-something-year-old wisdom made conscious choices, NOT mistakes, that impacted him negatively, but the b.s. began upon arrival. The entertainment company didn’t prepare for the nourishment and cultivation of a young man, but for the potential of what he could be. That has long-lasting implications. That has to stop: you are embracing a human with a soul, not a commodity with everlasting capabilities to generate money.
Who is raising them? Most aren’t able to get to their homes/families frequently because of the pressures involved with training and assimilation so where does it come from? Your potential future group mates, the same people you’re competing with regularly to debut? This is the trend of the old days of Kpop that I long to see disappear forever. Yeah, some companies and artists have realized the importance of mental wellness and increased their public advocacy but there’s still a long way to go. Idols are encouraged to continue their education at the collegiate level heavily in South Korea. Getting into prestigious universities isn’t a guarantee for them just like others in their society, but what are you learning about life before and during the time that your talents contribute to paying your bills?
Lucas has released one project since then. He’s not made mention of any activities for 2025 thus far. There’s still a lot of year left, so perhaps he will. If he doesn’t, however, I pray that his mind is at greater ease.
What are your thoughts?
To answer your question on who is raising these idols, many of whom start training as minors: no one. They aren't raised or brought up as humans, they are trained to be products that could be promoted, marketed and sold as part of a unified brand.
For example, I remember one of the earliest controversies of the NCT brand was their managers being rude and treating the members like delinquents to the point where it became noticeable when shooting vlive content. I also remember when people used to call the Dream members unruly for basically acting like the teenagers they were at the time. During that early time from 2016-2019, it felt to me like the NCT members were treated like products to control and manage the most, not humans who were approaching adulthood and figuring out who they were and wanted to be offstage.
And like most humans, a few of them found ways to rebel in order to take back that control. Lucas included, though in the worst ways (allegedly; we still don't know the complete story).
With that said, I always felt like SM used Lucas' "incident" as an example of what happens when an idol who they see as a product starts acting too human. Not to say that SM feeds their idols to the dogs to teach them a lesson about acting too human when a scandal hits by letting malicious rumors fly, but it does seem like there is little to no support in controlling the narrative by addressing the truth head on before things get out of the hand.
Misunderstandings are often cleared up too late and rumors are never fully addressed except behind the scenes, so fans start creating their own "truths" which run rampant to the point where the company loses control and puts the idol in hiatus out of fear of what could happen to the brand if they don't. We seen this with NCT twice and now Riize.
By the time the idol emerges from the basement, their image is so tarnished that they basically have to debut into nugudom again and are treated like pariahs in their own company, not being allowed to interact with others nor get the same promotional opportunities they once garnered.
Stating "kpop idols are human too" sounds so simple, but speaks volumes in making fans AND company execs alike remember that there is a person behind the brand who breathes, eats, shit, and bleed just like the rest of us.
P.S. Lucas is still working, just not doing k-music. He just finished filming a Taiwanese drama that will be released early 2026.