Former 2PM leader asks fans for understanding

Former 2PM member Park Jae-beom has asked fans for understanding in his decision to quit the group early this month over controversial remarks he made before his debut.

"Please don't make things more difficult... the situation is already hard enough as it is," wrote Park on 2PM's official fan page on portal website Daum, speaking to fans for the first time since leaving the former seven-member boy band.

"I left for a reason and (Park) Jin-young and 2PM are family to me. They were there for me through the difficult times," the 22-year-old singer said of his former producer and group.

Park had issued an apology and left the group on September 8 after comments he had written on his MySpace account, such as "I hate Korea", between 2005 to 2007 while a trainee at JYP Entertainment (JYPE) became public.

An alliance of the group's fan clubs have been calling on JYPE to reinstate the former leader but Park Jin-young announced last week the group would resume its activities with its remaining six members.

Fans have declared they would boycott a six-member 2PM on top of previous decisions to boycott the group's products and hold silent protests.

The group has been one of the most popular boy bands in town since their debut in 2008.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr