The East Light’s Leader Lee Seokcheol Holds Tell-All Press Conference on Band’s Abuse and Assault
The East Light‘s leader Seokcheol held a press conference today, accompanied by his laywer, in regards to the reports of abuse and assault the band endured.
The rookie idol group, The East Light, were reportedly victims of continuous verbal and physical abuse by the CEO and the company producer of their agency, Media Line Entertainment.
Seokcheol revealed that since 2015 (nearly 4 years) the members and he would be clubbed by a baseball bat on multiple occasions. They were assaulted in their practice rooms and recording studios.
“As the leader of The East Light, I could no longer simply observe the wounds of the members. In hopes that the infringement of human rights will disappear from the K-Pop scene, though I am afraid, I decided to appear at this press conference.”
— Lee Seok Cheol
They also received several threats that they would be killed if they went home and told their parents.
Seokcheol revealed that “Producer A” would lock himself and his brother Lee Seunghyun in the 5th floor studio at their company and physically assault them, striking them multiple times on their buttocks and head. Fellow member, Lee Eunsung, was also beat with a stick and lost a lot of blood.
Producer A has now been named as Yoon Young Il, and it has been reported that another company CEO Lee Jung Hyun is also guilty of being aware of the situation and yet by-standing.
He accused CEO Kim Chang Hwan of witnessing and abetting the violence, simply telling the producer to “go easy” on them. This is the point where Seokcheol could not hold back his tears, as he remembered being forced to appear on TV without even healing the wounds they received.
His younger brother Seunghyun is receiving psychological treatment for the trauma caused by constant threats and physical abuse. Seokcheol told the reporters that the CEO even forced his younger brother to try an e-cigarette, even though his brother was a middle school student at the time.
Seokcheol was also the member who had guitar strings tied around his neck, which were tightened whenever he didn’t follow instructions or made a mistake while playing — the abuses caused bruises and scars on his neck. He was afraid to confess the truth due to the death threats they received but the wounds were eventually discovered when his father visited.
The members and their parents requested measures to prevent the abuse from occurring again. Media Line Entertainment promised that there would be no more contact between Yoon Young Il and the members — but things remained the same after one month.
Not only did the abuse continue but producer Yoon Young Il returned to the company. Seunghyun voiced his complaints and CEO Kim Chang Hwan ordered Seunghyun to leave the band.
Seunghyun left the band, and revealed to their parents that the wounds from before were not an isolated incident. This prompted their family to prepare severe legal action against producer Yoon Young Il and CEOs Kim Chang Hwan and Kim Jung Hyun. Seokcheol has also decided to halt all promotions with The East Light as well.
At this time, Seokcheol and Seunghyun are preparing to sue Media Line Entertainment. They cannot discuss the other members’ potential plans to take legal action, however, Seokcheol was sure that if an investigation occurs there will certainly be plenty of evidence to take in.
