Jay Park Exposes Physical Abuse As Former JYP Trainee
Multi-hyphenated artist Jay Park exposed the physical abuse he's witnessed as former trainee and artist under JYP Entertainment. The 29-year-old former member of boy band 2PM reminisced the good old days when he was only starting in his career as an idol trainee. He shared Monday during "The Glow Up" podcast episode 13 in his hometown Seattle how those days were tough on him.
The K-Pop superstar described the culture within JYP Entertainment as typical of "the Korean way." He likened it to a bootcamp because trainees learned vocal and dance but also thought of it as almost like "programming" where "passion and creativity" were "killed" as well as one's "individuality" lost. "The culture in itself was kinda like when you get certain lyrics wrong or you get a certain dance move wrong they would literally hit you," said Jay Park and added, "It's not like that now, it's much better now, but back then they were like, "You mothafucka!" He even described a fellow trainee getting some dance moves wrong and so, consequently, "getting his ass whooped."
Jay Park moved to South Korea and train under JYP Entertainment for three and a half years. He revealed he endured the cultural differences because he wanted to make money for his family. He debuted as leader of the seven-member boy band 2PM and shot to fame in 2008. He left the band in early 2010 amid the MySpace controversy and returned to Seattle. He eventually ventured as a solo artist and put up his own hip hop record label AOMG (Above Ordinary Music Group).
The American artist and member of Seattle-based breakdancing crew Art of Movement (AOM) just won the Artist of the Year as well as R&B Album of the Year for "Everything You Wanted" at the first Korean Hip Hop Awards. Jay Park collaborated with Minzy, former 2NE1 member for her upcoming solo album. His podcast revelation come at a time when 2PM cancelled their concert after their main vocalist Jun.K fell off a moving stage and rushed to the hospital.
