If you’ve been a loyal K-pop enthusiast, then you must have been familiar with that quiet knot in your stomach when an idol you care about shares something that doesn’t fit the glossy photos. TXT Soobin did just that, recounting the alleged abuse he experienced when he was a trainee, revealing more unspoken rules of the K-pop training system.
He was just a middle schooler, a beginner learning new choreography at the time. And just like most fans, you could probably feel the room go still. Then, you’d start asking yourself as well: how was this ever okay?
Join our discussion about how Soobin’s alleged abuse has always been there as a part of a rigorous system most K-pop trainees experience.
Shocking Confession from TXT Soobin on Alleged Trainee Abuse: A Story You Can’t Shake
During a Weverse live in August 2025, TXT leader Choi Soobin recounted moments of alleged abuse when he was a trainee at Big Hit.
At the time, as a new trainee, TXT Soobin was told to learn challenging choreography, with Taehyun beside him. Since they were just kids who had been barely a week into dancing, Soobin and Taehyun were unable to keep up. And that was when they allegedly got hit.
Not only that, but Soobin also mentioned that others actually got it worse at the time—that what he and Taehyun experienced was nothing compared to other trainees.
This kind of practice, according to Soobin, has changed since then. Corporal punishment is no longer allowed today.
soobin & taehyun talking about them getting hit as trainees as a form of punishment for not dancing well
— 💬 (@translatingTXT) August 16, 2025
🐿️🐱💬wow i was really scared when we were practicing for this
🐰 taehyun said that it was really scary practicing for this song and it was really scary!!!
🐰 this was when… pic.twitter.com/tCcMoyFCnP
Now, you might have watched the clip with a heavy heart. Some of you might then scroll into a bigger storm: TXT fans’ outrage, defenses from those who stan the company, and even threads connecting this alleged abuse against trainee Soobin to NewJeans VS HYBE controversy and the wider K-pop training system.
Some fans insisted Soobin’s era predates HYBE. Meanwhile, others believe that this has become a pattern that did not end with a name change.
Either way, the allegations of trainee abuse that happened to TXT Soobin have now pulled back a curtain that many of you knew existed but rarely realized this clearly.
The Unspoken Rules of K-pop Training System
If you’ve followed idols long enough, you must have understood that there are these unspoken rules in the K-pop training system that nobody writes on a wall.
You learn them if you want to stay. Fear becomes a teaching tool. Silence becomes a survival skill. Hierarchy outranks common sense. You are told to master a routine at a speed your body has never tried before. If you fail, the room reminds you that dreams have a price.
Read our previous take on: Behind the Life of K-pop Trainee: Daily Schedules, Dorm Rules, and Survival Pressure
This is why TXT Soobin’s honesty on the alleged trainee abuse matters more for the fans: because the story then confirms what you must have all suspected.
The rules in the K-pop training system were not merely about perfecting talent, but also about complying with a culture that praised pain as proof of commitment.
And for most K-pop trainees who entered the system as minors, that kind of lesson lasts. You carry it into every rehearsal after debut. And you carry it into the way you treat your own mistakes.
K-pop Training Rules and System: Has It Improved or Changed?
Again, at the end of his Weverse live, TXT Soobin clarified that the rules have changed since: such alleged abuse against a trainee is no longer allowed. And we all want to believe that.
But then, you read more posts and updates about similar struggles happening to more K-pop trainees and idols. And while they may not sound the same, the underlying issues are still similar:
- Overwork is framed as an opportunity.
- Cameras follow downtime and turn it into content.
- Rest is negotiated rather than guaranteed.
- A new album appears on the schedule when the last tour is still in motion.
Fans pointed to ENHYPEN’s interviews where the simplest wish was to eat and sleep without a lens in their face. Others pulled in NJZ and their claims of emotional mistreatment. The details are not identical, yes, but the pattern feels too familiar.
A system that can remove one kind of harm sometimes grows another. But the rule underneath stays the same: as a K-pop idol, you are a company’s asset. So, your time, your opinions, and your life they’re not fully yours.
Good Luck Minji & Danielle💛💙 pic.twitter.com/Dvfj9Uc3CJ
— NJZ Base (@njzbase) August 14, 2025
MOA VS Bunnies: The Misdirected Fan Wars
Following the alleged trainee abuse recount from TXT Soobin, you may have also seen how the social media timeline then turned into a competition of pain: TXT vs NJZ, past vs present, and who suffered more.
That kind of argument makes everyone tired, and it is easy to forget why you showed up in the first place.
After all, as loyal fans, you were here to protect artists, not to score points against other fans.
And you don’t have to agree on every claim, really. However, there’s one baseline that should never be up for debate: nobody should ever be hit — especially children.
No dream, no stage, no debut should ever come at the cost of abuse. And no idol, past or present, should have to accept mistreatment disguised as “rules” or “challenges.”
What happened to Soobin, NewJeans, ENHYPEN, and all those hardworking idols and trainees points to the same cracks in the K-pop training system: the same rules that have shaped these idols also left permanent scars.
Minors should never be pushed to the point of breaking. And when an idol finds the courage to speak, the first response from the authority shouldn’t be defensiveness or denial. It should be human. Ask what needs to change so the next kid in that practice room doesn’t grow up learning through fear.
TXT Soobin Alleged Trainee Abuse: How You Can Read with Both Head and Heart
As avid K-pop enthusiasts, we are all living in the space between care and caution.
You know that companies rarely move fast with statements, and that human memories are extremely layered, sometimes even messy.
Still, you also know that patterns become undeniable when enough voices echo the same story.
Listening to the alleged trainee abuse from TXT Soobin doesn’t ask you to hate anyone. It asks you to see the system for what it is. To admit that behind the polished stages and flawless music videos are rules and practices that shaped idols in ways they never fully chose.
That is why Soobin’s story allows you to question further:
- What safeguards are in place for trainees and K-pop idols today?
- Who takes responsibility when those safeguards fail?
- What happens when idols and trainees say they don’t feel safe?
- Are there real channels that lead to change, not just apologies?
When you start asking these questions — and when clear answers finally exist — that’s when the culture begins to shift.
And that’s when K-pop becomes not only powerful on stage, but sustainable behind the scenes.
What to Watch Next, and How to Stay Grounded
Right now, you’re waiting to see if BIGHIT or HYBE will step forward with something more than polished statements. You are expecting a clear record of how their training system has truly changed.
Unfortunately, you may not get those answers quickly. And some may even never come in the way you hope.
But without all the details, you can still draw a line. Believe an idol when they choose to share a difficult truth. Keep asking for safeguards that don’t rely on chance. Support rest without guilt.
And hold onto this: kinder and more humane rules in the system will not weaken K-pop. Instead, they make it sustainable. They keep the music alive long enough for the artists themselves to enjoy the lives they’ve built — not just survive them. Don’t you think so too? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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