Lee Kaeun, a former contestant on Produce 48, recently broke her silence on the vote manipulation scandal that rocked the show.
During an appearance on the YouTube show Gatalk Chat, Kaeun joined a chatroom with other survival show alums, including GHOST9’s Lee Jinwoo, who appeared on Produce X 101. At one point, Kaeun opened up about how she felt upon learning that her rankings were manipulated. Throughout Produce 48, she was consistently in the Top 10 until a sudden drop in the final episode placed her at No. 14. Since then, it has been revealed that she actually placed fifth. That would’ve put her in the final lineup of IZ*ONE.
Kaeun looked back on the moment she learned about the manipulation. “I was getting skincare treatment, and when I finished, I started to get calls like crazy. So at first, I thought I did something wrong.”
《가톡방》 EP1.🚫참가자 외 출입 금지🚫 서바이벌 리얼 후기방
She expressed discomfort with being labeled a victim. “It was something I wished to be forgotten. But when the list was revealed, I felt like I was being labeled as a victim in the world. I was fine, but people around me looked at me sympathetically, so I think that was hard.”
Despite her discomfort, Kaeun found solace in her mother’s happiness, “But my mom was happy that I actually made the cut. So I was satisfied with that.”
Kaeun has made significant strides
She may have missed out on a spot in IZ*ONE, but Kaeun has made significant strides in her showbiz career anyway. When she left PLEDIS Entertainment, she released a digital single called “Remember You” as a gift to her fans. She signed with High Entertainment in July 2019, embarking on a new chapter as an artist.
In 2020, Kaeun participated in the special album project PROJECT10, for which she covered “Can You Hear Me” by SNSD’s Taeyeon.
Project 10 | 들리나요 – 이가은
Kaeun has since ventured into acting, making her debut in the web movie Motelier. The comedy, which includes elements of the multiverse genre, features Kaeun in the lead role of Yoo Da Hee, a concierge at a motel who runs a secret podcast at night where she shares intriguing stories.
Here’s hoping she has more in store for fans this year! – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: She was cheated out of a place in IZ*ONE by one of the show’s producers. Source: K-Pop Database.