Lee Young-ji shared some heartfelt comfort with ILLIT’s Wonhee, who has been navigating her career amidst a wave of hate comments and speculation.
On the 22nd, a video titled “Lee Wonhee’s 20th Birthday Approval Party” was uploaded to the YouTube channel ‘No Prepare’. ILLIT member Wonhee appeared as a guest to have a candid conversation with Lee Young-ji.
While talking about the shifting nature of public opinion and hate comments in the entertainment industry, Lee Young-ji noted, “People on the internet can suddenly love you and then suddenly hate you, only to love you again. But the reason for that isn’t because of you.”
To this, Wonhee confessed, “I’m not sure about that yet. I keep trying to find the reason within myself.” Lee Young-ji firmly replied, “There is no reason within you,” and comforted her by adding, “As these tides of opinion ebb and flow, the number of people who will protect you will only grow.”
Lee Young-ji added a touch of humor, saying, “I’ve lived my whole life with two eyes. One day people love me, saying ‘she’s cute with two eyes,’ and the next day they’re like, ‘Wait, she actually has two eyes.’ That’s not my fault, right?” She then advised, “I hope you don’t think it’s your fault just because someone suddenly decides to like or dislike you.”
Wonhee cautiously shared, “I have so many things to be grateful for. My trainee period wasn’t long and my company is so great that I feel like I shouldn’t say things are hard.” Lee Young-ji countered this with sincere warmth, saying, “What does that have to do with anything? I invited you here because I like you.”
Wonhee also expressed some anxiety, saying, “Eventually, the hype will fade, and since I don’t know when that will be, I feel like I should live diligently before it happens so I have no regrets.” Lee Young-ji cheered her on, saying, “You won’t fade. The people who love you will only continue to grow.”
Meanwhile, ILLIT shot to fame with their March 2024 debut song ‘Magnetic’. However, they found themselves at the center of controversy after former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin claimed that ILLIT had copied NewJeans, which led to a surge of malicious comments toward the members.
Wonhee previously drew sympathy when she was spotted seemingly reporting hate comments during a live broadcast. She also faced mockery from some netizens who questioned if her crutches were “fake” when she was recovering from an injury.
Despite the hardships, Wonhee has continued her activities and shown steady growth. She recently made headlines on ‘Radio Star’ when she responded to being called the “Nation’s Little Sister” by saying it felt burdensome and that she’d rather be the “Nation’s Weed.”
