“A Real As*hole”: Idol With Track Record of Problematic Social Media Posts Gets Exposed By Ex-Manager

SHINHWA member Kim Dongwan is once again facing backlash, as a series of controversial social media posts—along with an unverified exposé allegedly written by a former manager—have reignited criticism surrounding his behavior.

The controversy most recently began on March 21, when Kim Dongwan shared MC Dingdong’s social media account on his own platform, writing, “Who else wants to support Dingdong for no reason?” The post was widely interpreted as public support for the MC, who is currently embroiled in controversy after allegedly assaulting a female streamer during a live broadcast.

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Given the severity of the situation, Kim Dongwan’s public show of support drew immediate criticism. He later deleted the post and issued a brief apology, stating, “It was an opinion that did not fully take the situation into account.”

However, the issue escalated further when an individual claiming to be Kim Dongwan’s former manager posted a lengthy exposé online. The individual, referred to as “Person A,” claimed to have worked with him for years and expressed frustration, writing, “Whether it was years ago or now… How can he still be exactly the same?”

Person A alleged that Kim Dongwan had previously gone live while drinking and gotten into arguments with fans, adding, “I don’t know if he’s in his right mind or not—maybe he wanted to play the hero this time.” The individual also claimed that advice given during their time working together was repeatedly ignored.

Sigh… Honestly, there’s so much I could say… It has been years. How are you still exactly the same?

Drinking and causing scenes at clubhouses that even made the news,
drinking and going on Instagram Live to fight with fans, and this time—what, did you want to play the hero? Are you even thinking straight?

You caused issues with drunk driving, and now you’re supporting an MC who assaulted a streamer during a live broadcast? And then you block people who are actually saying reasonable things.

Dongwan hyung, even when I was your manager, you never listened to anything I said, right? It’s not like I was just some rookie driver manager either.

When I saw your previous manager basically run away from the job, I remember wondering, ‘I wonder what happened.’ Honestly, you’d probably be better off just working forever with inexperienced rookie managers.

Hyung, I don’t know if you remember calling me a sociopath… but maybe try understanding yourself first before judging others… When I see people who still like you, fangirl over you, and leave supportive comments, I sometimes feel bad for them. You know this, too. The gap between how you are and how your fans see you is huge.

Right? Hyung, I think living a normal life as a celebrity would be better for your overall well-being.

— Person A

In addition, Person A accused Kim Dongwan of causing issues during musical productions, alleging that he had personally requested casting due to needing cash, pushed for higher appearance fees, then later backed out—leaving production teams in difficult situations. The post also included harsh personal remarks, reflecting deep resentment.

And hyung, you said you needed cash and asked me to land you a musical, so I personally contacted the CEO of the Something Rotten production that happened to be casting at the time and pushed your appearance fee as high as possible. Do you know how awkward that made things when you suddenly said you didn’t want to do it anymore? But then after I left, you did go on Something Rotten after all??? Whatever the reason, from that moment on, you became a real a*shole to me.

— Person A

These claims quickly spread across online communities and social media, though it has not been confirmed whether the author is indeed his former manager or whether the allegations are true.

In response, Kim Dongwan addressed the situation on March 23, 2026 (KST), stating, “The information currently being circulated consists of false claims that differ from the facts.” While declining to comment on personal relationships, he warned that he would pursue both civil and criminal legal action if the spread of false information continues.

This is not the first time Kim Dong Wan has faced criticism over his social media activity. Just last month, he sparked controversy after posting remarks that appeared to support the legalization of prostitution. Although he later clarified that his concerns were about issues such as underage involvement, lack of disease control, and exploitation within illegal systems, criticism persisted. With repeated controversies tied to his “problematic” social media presence, fans are now calling for him to take a step back from social media platforms altogether, as the situation continues to unfold.

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