Former Girl’s Day member Jang Hye Ri (real name Lee Ji In) is making headlines after exposing the dark side of the entertainment industry—revealing that she once received a shocking sponsorship offer from a well-known entertainment company CEO.
On March 3, Jang Hye Ri appeared in a video titled "[NonNonNon] I Heard You Got Wasted and Ruined Yourself?" on the YouTube channel ‘Channel Fixed’ (채널고정해).
During the discussion, broadcaster Kang Byung Kyu opened up about the hidden dangers in the industry, saying, “Even today, there are idols who get invited to drinking gatherings by acquaintances of acquaintances. Some people keep luring them into these situations. We call them ‘devils.’”
Jang Hye Ri then shocked viewers by admitting, “I’ve been to those places before. I even sang there.” She continued, “Even now, I still get offers like, ‘Let’s talk business over drinks’ or ‘You need to build connections this way.’ It happens all the time.”
She also shared how these gatherings have evolved, saying, “Nowadays, it’s not just about drinking. There’s also golf. People keep asking, ‘Do you play golf?’ I don’t drink well, and I don’t enjoy these meetings. But sometimes, I wondered, ‘Do I have to do this to succeed?’”
Then, Jang Hye Ri dropped a bombshell—recalling a shocking moment from her rookie days:
“When I was a rookie, I attended a drinking gathering where a very famous CEO was present. He had even invited male rookies to sing. Then he suddenly told me, ‘If I help you grow, you have to be my girlfriend.’”
She continued, “I was caught off guard and immediately refused. But then he started listing celebrities he had ‘helped’ through these relationships. I was young, and it really hurt my pride. It made me determined to succeed without going down that path. But he told me, ‘You’ll never make it if you don’t do this. This is how the industry works.’”
Even after rejecting him, Jang Hye Ri revealed that she kept running into the CEO over the years. “Since he’s still active in the industry, I would occasionally see him. Every time, he would say, ‘You rejected my offer, and that’s why you’re struggling now.’ But honestly, I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change my decision.”
Meanwhile, Jang Hye Ri, one of the original members of Girl’s Day, has since transitioned into a trot singer. In 2020, she released her single "Seobangnim" and gained attention after finishing fourth place on KBS 2TV’s Trot National Contest.
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