From K-pop idol to controversy: the complex career of Yong Jun-hyung
In short: He rose to fame as a central figure in the boy band Beast, winning awards for his acting and dominating the charts as a producer. Yet, a single shared video would later trigger a scandal that fundamentally altered his trajectory and led to his departure from the group.
Born Yong Jae-soon in Seoul, the artist known as Junhyung underwent a significant transformation early in life, changing his name during the 6th grade. He first entered the industry in 2007 as 'Poppin' Dragon' in the group Xing, before achieving major stardom in 2009 with the debut of Beast under Cube Entertainment. Throughout the early 2010s, he established himself as a versatile talent, releasing solo works like the 2013 EP Flower and starring in dramas such as Monstar, for which he earned Best New Actor at the 2013 Korean Drama Awards.
However, his career faced a profound disruption in 2019. Following revelations regarding the KakaoTalk chatroom scandal involving singer Jung Joon-young, Junhyung announced his departure from Highlight (formerly Beast). While he clarified that he was not part of the specific group chatroom where illegal footage was shared, he admitted to having watched a video sent to him by Jung. This video, which depicted Jung and a woman making out in a Gangnam bar, had been filmed with consent but shared without the woman's permission.
Despite the controversy and a period of mandatory military service—during which a knee injury transitioned him to public service duty—Junhyung has continued to navigate the industry independently. After his contract with Around Us Entertainment expired in late 2021, he launched his own label, Black Made. In a surprising personal development, his agency announced in July 2024 that he and singer Hyuna are set to marry in October.
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