He was the victim of vote manipulation.
Kim Kook Heona former member of the boy group MYhas gained considerable popularity in 2019 when he joined Mnet’S survival audition show, Produce X 101, after his group disbanded afterwards a short ride. But the show that was supposed to be his second chance at a dream career ended up pushing him into deep despair.
Kim was spotted recently THIS’S new variety show, Chef Paik and the Les Misérables, where he spoke candidly about his past struggles and current circumstances. He introduced himself as “former failed idol and currently unemployed 28-year-old Kim Kook Heon,” eliciting a mixed reaction of laughter and sadness.
Kim, who debuted in 2017 with MYTEEN, went on to become one of Mnet’s best-known faces Produce X 101thanks to his amazing graphics, his strong physical appearance and his impressive skills. After maintaining a high ranking throughout the show, he made it to the final but was eliminated, much to the shock of viewers.
A year after the survival show aired, in 2020, the Produce 101 the series was embroiled in the infamous vote manipulation controversy, and Kim was revealed to be one of its victims. It turned out that it was not eliminated due to lack of capacity, but simply because the voting results were deliberately distorted by the production.
ON Chef Paik and the Les Misérables, Kim admitted that the unfair elimination had caused him serious distress, so much so that he tried to jump from a moving car on the highway.
I opened the car door on the highway, ready to jump. It’s such a painful memory of a time when I really wanted it all to end. Then I made a crazy choice.
—Kim Kook Heon
Kim said that during this unsettling time in her life, she found hope in a commercial starring a chef Paik Jong won, where he talked about something called “restoring life.” The phrase spoke to Kim and helped him rekindle his passion. Finally, he came full circle and appeared Chef Paik and the Les Misérables, where 20 contestants face culinary challenges under the guidance of Chef Baek in hopes of changing the course of their lives.
