'Radio Star' Jeon Somi and Heo Hoon Confess Past Bullying Experiences

On the 22nd, the MBC entertainment program 'Radio Star' featured singer Jeon Somi and basketball player Heo Hoon sharing their past experiences of being bullied.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] Singer Jeon Somi and basketball player Heo Hoon opened up about their past experiences of being bullied.

On the 22nd, MBC entertainment show 'Radio Star' featured chef Lee Yeonbok, comedian Yoo Minsang, Jeon Somi, and Heo Hoon as guests.

That day, Jeon Somi greeted, "People often know me as a bright vitamin-like presence, but now that I am twenty years old, I want to transform from 'Vitamin Somi' to a more sentimental Somi."

Jeon Somi then confessed, "I was once powerfully bullied." She said, "The day after I transferred to a new elementary school, there was a student council president election. The kids told me that if I ran, they would make me president, so I ran and won. But maybe they were jealous, because from the next day, I was bullied. I was closest with the teacher," she revealed, evoking sympathy.

Jeon Somi added, "After debuting, I was walking in Sinchon and met the girl who had excluded me. I approached her first, and she was flustered and asked, 'Do you want to take a photo?' I took the photo, and it felt so refreshing. It was like a tightly wound feeling was released."

Heo Hoon, son of coach Heo Jae, also revealed that he had been bullied. Heo Hoon said, "After my father retired from his player career, we all went to the U.S. for training. As soon as I started school, I experienced racial discrimination, neglect, and something like bullying. My brother and I were physically on par with American elementary students, so we played basketball and became friends because we were good at it."

Heo Hoon also talked about the criticism his father, then head coach of the men's basketball national team during the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, received for selecting both brothers for the team. Heo Hoon recalled, "My father was the coach, and both my brother and I were selected. Military service was a sensitive issue. We didn't win the gold medal, so we didn't get military exemption, but some people viewed it negatively, and it became awkward between my dad and me at that time."

Heo Hoon said, "People said, 'Why pick two instead of just one...'" and added, "It was disappointing because people looked down on us. My father drank a lot then. After missing the championship and falling in the semifinals, he received all the criticism and insults," evoking sympathy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.