Stray Kids’ Bangchan Confesses To Facing Violence As A Trainee

Stray Kids’ Bangchan has made a heartbreaking confession that has left fans completely distraught.

The idol recently took to a fan communication platform on the occasion of his 15^th anniversary in JYP Entertainment. He started reminiscing about his early days in the company, stating that he was “surprised by the culture difference.” What came next was unexpected, as Bangchan admitted, “I remember I got hit a lot.” He continued, revealing that he used to get scolded a lot “for nothing” as well.

The most heartbreaking part about this confession was that he shared he never told any of this to his parents when he was a trainee. It was only recently that he talked about it with them, which left them in tears.

abuse is not culture difference…he was literally a baby like jyp and everyone who did this deserve to dai idc, no wonder his parents were in tears… pic.twitter.com/MKjQL62lbu

— 🌑 𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢 ☾⋆｡ ๋࣭ ⭑˚ (@namchanhyung) April 11, 2026

Fans were left fuming at this revelation, calling out JYP Entertainment for their abusive behavior toward a child.

hitting a 13 year old boy who was multiple hours away from home in a different country just trying to prove himself as a hard working artist worthy of debuting…. everyone involved will suffer..

— 🌻 saff (@YfwbbS) April 11, 2026

a child being hit repeatedly, scolded for no reason and feeling too afraid to tell his parents is NOT “just part of training” he was in a Completly different country and had to endure that alone..this is exactly why this kind of environment needs to be called out not excused

— Sab °‧ (@seungdling) April 11, 2026

the kpop industry is so fucked up give me a bazooka right now he was just a kid

— aleyna (@rachaflex) April 11, 2026

Many also expressed concern about how Bangchan appeared to have internally normalized this kind of abuse, given that he was trying to hide the gravity of it with his light-hearted laughter and that he keeps defending the company despite his past.

if i say that it was obvious that he was groomed that’s why he felt the need to defend his company because he was manipulated to think he owes everything to that company but some of y’all wouldn’t like that

— rine (@minchanbliss) April 11, 2026

some of u really need to educate yourselves on how grooming works before speaking idk

— m 𖦹🔻 (@snoopyunnie) April 11, 2026

this is why sometimes i took what he said about the company with caution because he’s been there since he was a child…as you’re growing up you realize so many things. you start to question things and see them as they really are. and so much of this realization happens in your…

— emma (@hyvnjinaslove) April 11, 2026

Bangchan’s confession has also sparked a broader discussion about how K-Pop agencies get away with serious crimes like child abuse under the garb of training.

we don’t criticise Kpop companies enough, hiring literal children, manipulating them into thinking hitting em, starving em is normal, to the point where they grow up to be blaming themselves for everything.

they shape their whole lives make them dependent. then when the times…

— ivy. (@witch1vy) April 11, 2026

child abuse is so normalised in kpop, companies manipulating literal children into thinking abuse is fine, a prime example of being groomed, of child exploitation and mental & physical abuse… yall should talk more about real issues within the industry instead of your stupid fws

— َ (@HYJ97s) April 11, 2026

Stray Kids