ALPHA DRIVE ONE member Kim Geon Woo is facing mounting controversy after a netizen claiming to be the mother of an MBC floor director accused the rookie idol of verbal abuse.
The controversy began when an online post surfaced from an individual identifying herself as the victim’s mother. According to the post, her daughter was hired two years ago as a contract floor director at Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and allegedly experienced verbal insults while working with Kim Geon Woo’s group.
The mother wrote that her daughter had called home in tears about a week prior, saying she was overwhelmed and “wanted to die.” She claimed that when she and her husband traveled by KTX to see their daughter, they noticed red, swollen marks on her wrists. The family reportedly embraced and cried together, with the daughter allegedly stating she had been “unimaginably hurt by a celebrity.”
The accuser said she refrained from naming the idol out of fear of legal repercussions but described him as a 24-year-old rookie with the surname Kim, recently debuted and signed under a major corporation.
In the post, the mother alleged that her daughter had gained weight after college and was “on the rounder side.” She claimed that when her daughter was giving instructions during filming, the idol, believing she could not hear him, allegedly said, “F*** can that fat a** just shut up.”
The post further alleged that another group member cautioned him not to say such things publicly. The mother also claimed that the idol looked at her daughter “with disdain” throughout filming and later criticized her over a prop issue, questioning whether the item was usable.
As the post gained traction across online communities, speculation mounted over the identity of the idol described.
Shortly after the initial accusations spread, an individual believed to be the daughter referenced in the post came forward online, sharing what she described as proof of her employment at MBC. The materials reportedly included a weekly filming schedule and a photo of her desk.
The controversy intensified as additional rumors emerged linking Kim Geon Woo to a separate incident during the filming of KBS2’s variety program Idol 1N2D. An online user claiming to be an entertainment industry stylist stated that the so-called “Idol 1N2D incident” was already widely known among insiders, though no concrete evidence has been publicly verified.
Most recently, the alleged victim posted a statement asserting that she has suffered significant emotional distress and has been receiving psychiatric treatment. She reportedly shared documentation of a recent visit to a mental health clinic, saying she has been struggling amid the ongoing online discourse.
She wrote, "There are a few things I want to clarify regarding the post that has been circulating under the claim that it is my blog. I have never once intended to expose AlphaDriveOne’s Kim Gun Woo, and I still have no such intention. I have been trying my best to endure my life quietly, continuing to attend psychiatric treatment while going to work."
In her statement, she denied any intention of exposing the idol initially and said she had been attempting to move forward quietly while continuing treatment. However, she also expressed distress over personal blog posts being shared without her consent and over what she described as online harassment directed toward her. She elaborated, "I never intended to expose Kim Gun Woo. As I once said in a message to a friend, I believed that one day he would face the consequences of his own actions. I have no desire to stake my job, my age, my career, and everything I have on exposing him."
She further explained, "Some people are also claiming that everything is a lie. At least my situation is not a lie. Because of him, I harmed myself in places hidden under my winter clothes while going to work. I hadn’t done that in years. I’m someone who has been seeing a psychiatrist continuously—please stop targeting me."
She also refuted, "However, if Kim Gun Woo declares that everything is a lie and announces legal action, I won’t be able to stay silent. I’ve endured all kinds of personal attacks from his fans, even being told to die. Should I really stay quiet in that situation?"
She pleaded, "Please, just stop. Stop trying to guess where I work. Stop digging into my blog. Stop bringing up stories about Kim Gun Woo. Please, please stop. I’m having such a hard time. I know that as someone new to society, I’m supposed to grow thick-skinned about people telling me to die—but I’ll work on becoming more resilient myself. Just please stop insulting me."
"I don’t want to see Kim Gun Woo again, and I don’t want to mention him anymore. Whether he releases a statement or not, whether he admits anything or not—I don’t even want my privately written words to be mentioned alongside his name. Please."
As of this writing, neither Kim Geon Woo nor his agency has released an official statement addressing the allegations. With online debate continuing to intensify, attention is now focused on whether the agency will issue a formal response or pursue legal action.
Korean netizens commented:
"If this is real, he should apologize. If it’s a rumor, they should correct it. Either way, it would be best to release an official statement quickly. The agency isn’t handling this well either. I hope fans don’t engage in secondary harassment. People might casually say, “If work is that hard, just quit,” but it’s not that simple—and someone could really die."
"If this is real, that's crazy..."
"It hasn’t even been that long, but this much talk is coming out already. Doesn’t that mean there’s really something there? It was like that with Kim Garam, too."
"How bad was it for the victim to end up in that condition?"
"But what is the agency even doing?"
"If this is real Dispatch will step in."
"The moment you put something like that in writing, it’s obvious it’ll spread. These days, especially, people repost everything. She should have been more careful. Sue the person who reposted it."
"An idol living off fangirls’ money was harassing a woman like crazy, huh? Unless you’re a brainwashed hardcore fan, just leave the fandom."
"It’s not just this one person—there have been multiple accusations anyway."
"If you’re going to expose someone, at least wait until they’re more famous. He’s such a nobody that no one even knows him."
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