Three years have passed since B.I left iKON, and recently, his former co-members opened up about the pain they felt upon hearing the unfortunate news for the first time on a public broadcast.
On September 3rd, iKON members Bobby, Koo Junhoe, and Kim Donghyuk made a special appearance on the entertainment program, “Oh Eun Young’s Golden Clinic,”on Channel A.
During the broadcast, the members finally revealed their honest thoughts and emotions regarding B.I., their previous leader who departed from the group in 2019 following allegations of illegal drug use.
Despite staying quiet for so long, the three finally admitted to experiencing anxiety when their ex-leader departed. When Dr. Oh inquired about the cause of their unease, Kim responded:
“I don’t know. It’s been 8 years since our debut, and I’ve lived with the members for over 10 years. I was overwhelmed when I debuted, and I tasted joy when I briefly reached the top, but now the members are all anxious.”
Dr. Oh referred to this feeling as “vague anxiety”and requested that the trio share their most challenging experience as members of iKON. Donghyuk mustered up his bravery and began to speak, recounting:
“To be honest, when B.I left the team and we became a group of six, I was dumbfounded because we didn’t have a leader. There were a lot of things my hyung did, but I think none of the members went out at all during that time.”
In addition, Junhoe made a confession:
“It was both regrettable and difficult. We were a team since we were trainees, and no one had ever left. We were doing well, so when one of us suddenly left, it didn’t feel real rather than sad. When he said, ‘I’m leaving,’ we suddenly felt a little bit like strangers.”
Bobby echoed his sentiments, stating:
“I didn’t even think, ‘What do I do now?’. He just disappeared, I think I lived for a few months with that thought. I felt bitter about the absence of a person I had lived with because a friend I had been with for years suddenly disappeared.”
During that period, Bobby believed that iKON would not be successful without B.I., highlighting the significant void he left within the group.
“When the leader who had such a big role in the team and was the pillar who took care of so many things was gone, I thought, ‘Is this the end of iKON?’ and I remember even telling the members, ‘iKON will fail without B.I.’”
Junhoe emphasized that they have ceased producing any public content, particularly for well-known and national broadcasts.
Upon listening to the accounts of the members, Dr. Oh Eun Young made the diagnosis:
“(The members’ withdrawal) seems like an understatement, and it seems like a complete shock. No matter what the situation, the clear fact is that it wasn’t the three of them’s fault. However, since the group is united as iKON, they may have felt a sense of responsibility after receiving criticism, even though they did nothing wrong.”
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